Pooley Bridge car park expansion plan withdrawn for the third time
The most recent application, which included proposals to enlarge the car park and build a new public toilet block and visitor information centre, was officially withdrawn on November 20. Neither the applicant nor the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) has explained why.
Background of repeated attempts
A 2023 expansion plan was withdrawn.
A revised version was refused in December 2024, with LDNPA citing concerns about the landscape and the peaceful character of the area.
This latest proposal hoped to overcome earlier objections but has now also been pulled.
What the latest plan included
The new proposal aimed to:
Extend the car park by 0.7 hectares
Add 90 parking spaces, including EV charging bays
Build a stone and slate single storey building with toilets, an information centre, and cycle parking
Local support …with warnings
In a letter dated October 29, Barton and Pooley Bridge Parish Council said it supported the application because of the community’s high need for more parking, especially as village centre spaces regularly fill up early in the day.
But the council also raised serious concerns about road safety, saying there wasn’t enough recent information to prove that access from the car park onto the main road would be safe. They urged LDNPA to investigate this properly before any future decisions.
Councillors noted that a possible new two hours disc parking scheme in the village could create demand for an extra 36 long stay spaces, adding pressure to an already crowded parking situation.
Short, Brief Version
Pooley Bridge car park expansion plan withdrawn again
A plan to enlarge Eusemere car park at Pooley Bridge has been withdrawn for the third time in under three years. The proposal included 90 new spaces plus a toilet block and information centre, but was pulled on November 20 with no reason given.
Local councillors supported the need for more parking but warned that road safety concerns about access to the main road had not been properly addressed. The Lake District National Park Authority had previously rejected a similar plan in 2024 over landscape and tranquillity impacts.