Cost hits £1m for lorry park extension

An extension project at Newark’s lorry park is to cost £1,139,245 — more than 40% higher than anticipated.

The park on Great North Road is run by Newark and Sherwood District Council, which has used some of the area for its new offices, leading to a reduction in the spaces.

As a result the economic development committee agreed an extension was needed and external consultants were appointed. The scheme was approved by the committee last year.

The council’s business manager for environmental health, Mr Alan Batty, told the committee that the scheme developed by the consultants was not as comprehensive as it should have been and they had left out key features.

Extra costs of £249,245 were identified for more lights, an improved CCTV system, better pedestrian access, fencing, signage and landscaping.

Mr Batty said the capital programme approved by the council originally allocated £792,000. That was updated to £890,000, to which the costs of the extra measures will be added.

Members voted seven to three to approve the revised scheme.

Mr Batty said improved security was very important.

He said trailers had been damaged and goods stolen from them over the autumn and winter and, although short-term measures meant there had been no recent incidents, the existing security arrangements were not sustainable.

He said a more permanent solution would be the provision of a barrier entry and exit system, linked to Automatic Number Plate Recognition and an automatic payment scheme.

Mr Batty said drivers needed confidence that space was available so they did not exceed their hours.

“The reduced capacity that the lorry park is operating on does mean that drivers arriving later in the day are reticent to visit Newark in case there are no free spaces,” he said.

Mr Batty said the extension would mean there would be enough room for 189 vehicles and there was the potential to bring in an income of £459,109 — an increase of £145,947 a year.

Mr Neal Mitchell, the opposition spokesman, said now the costs had increased they should look elsewhere for a lorry park.

“We should take a pause and re-evaluate the decision,” he said.

“This road system is already under a lot of pressure and somewhere closer to the A1 may be a better option.”

Mr Batty said one of the attractions for drivers was how close the park was to the town centre so they could walk into town.

“It is one of the reasons that makes us popular,” he said.

“If it was out of the town centre the drivers would be more isolated.”

Mr Roger Blaney said the lorry park was a profitable facility. He said it also benefited people living outside Newark because it meant they did not have to put up with lorries parking outside their homes.

Mr Frank Taylor said the extra costs were unfortunate.

“But this project does stack up and there is a strong business case,” he said.