Supermarket's new car park must be shared with arts centre (From Harrow Times)

Counillors rule that supermarket Morrisons must share new car park with Harrow Arts Centre

5:30pm Friday 8th March 2013 in News By Jaber Mohamed

A supermarket in Hatch End wishing to build 45 new parking spaces will only be granted permission if it shares them with a neighbouring arts centre.

Morrisons in Uxbridge Road has applied to build a ramped car park deck to increase the number of parking bays from 350 to 395 and ensure its customers do not cause congestion.

However, Harrow Borough Council’s planning committee feels the expansion would be too large unless the spaces are shared with the neighbouring Harrow Arts Centre.

As part of a public consultation into the expansion, the arts centre said its parking is under considerable pressure on most days and a proportion of customers are known to make use of the supermarket car park.

The centre would be keen to support an increase in parking provided its users could have access to the car park every day.

The Hatch End Trader's Association also said shared parking with the arts centre would be a condition of any future consent.

It also expressed concern about light pollution in the area and asked that more trees be planted around the perimeter of the site.

Morrisons has proposed to plant 27 new trees around the car park and the perimeter of the site.

The plans will be debated at a meeting of the planning committee at 6.30pm on March 13.