Smart Parking Make Our Local Rag

alanjuk

Update,
The town council have refused the retrospective planning permission but it will ultimately be the decision of the Borough Council. Story Here




It appears that they are applying for retrospective planning permission for ANPR cameras and signs but the council don't like it. Story is here

pogofish

I hope you and as many people you can find in your area will be submitting objections..?

KeithP

Two short quotes from that article:

Stone Town Council has objected to both planning applications.

It states: “The large number of signs, together with their supporting posts, destroy the visual amenity of the conservation area. The privacy of residents is also unreasonably compromised by the surveillance cameras.”

A Stafford Borough Council conservation officer has also hit out at the 'excessive and unsightly' signs at the Crown Court Yard car park.

Alan Taylor said: “The 28 wall and post-mounted signs in glossy black and white are considered unsightly and visually intrusive in the conservation area, and appear wholly disproportionate to the potential needs of this relatively small car park."

The_Deep

t looks as though they are on a hjding to nothing, LAs can get very precious about conservation areas.

Umkomaas

Stone Town Council has objected to both planning applications.

It states: “The large number of signs, together with their supporting posts, destroy the visual amenity of the conservation area. The privacy of residents is also unreasonably compromised by the surveillance cameras.”

Smart Parking's signage is hideous. There's one large retail park I went to a couple of months ago where almost every single lamppost (of which there are many) had a very large white, black and (vile) orange Smart sign stuck to it. Whichever way you looked/turned you were overwhelmed by the signs.

Small wonder the LA is objecting to these in such a quite picturesque area of the country - I hope they will stick to their guns.

A Smart Parking spokesman said:

“In the case of planning permission for the site, obtaining retrospective permission is a commonly used mechanism to obtain proper permission for sites. We look forward to obtaining it and continuing to provide a parking service for the motorists of the Stone area.”

It's a 'commonly used mechanism' because it means that the harvesting of penalties can commence immediately. He also seems to have overlooked the small fact that in the context of advertising consent for signage, failure to apply for such before the erection of signage is potentially a criminal offence. He also fails to point out that in most cases, until/unless they are caught out, no permissions are routinely sought.

On a slightly tangential point, newly erected ParkingEye signs that I've seen of late are no larger that A4 size (in landscape orientation) which is possibly a way around the advertising consent requirement for them, but is likely to be a very good POPLA appeal point for us!

I rather suspect that advertising consent is a much bigger fish for PE to fry than the odd loss at POPLA on the back of inadequate signage because of size.

Snakes_Belly

Stone is a lovely little town and does not need Smart Parking harassing residents and visitors. Residents should object and write to Bill Cash.

fisherjim

"We look forward to obtaining it and continuing to provide a parking service for the motorists of the Stone area.”


Really?

I wonder if they have asked the "Motorists of the Stone area" if they agree with that!

Snakes_Belly

The Crown Inn is a 18th century coaching inn. It must be listed so what are Smart Parking doing sticking notices on the walls?

twhitehousescat

fisherjim wrote: »

"We look forward to obtaining it and continuing to provide a parking service for the motorists of the Stone area.”


Really?

I wonder if they have asked the "Motorists of the Stone area" if they agree with that!

so Smart ACTUALLY own the car park?

if not , the only service they can offer if by ANPR cameras , is the ability to line there own pockets by sending out invoices

NO repeat NO parking Co assists and helps parkers , there job is to make there masters money

Snakes_Belly

CROWN HOTEL

• List Entry Number: 1196742
• Heritage Category: Listing
• Grade: II*
• Location: CROWN HOTEL, 38, HIGH STREET, Stone, Stafford, Staffordshire
  
  It's a grade two listed building. They surely cannot stick signs on the walls outside? They must have to obtain listed building consent before placing those signs on the outside of an 18th century listed building of historic importance. The greed of these companies knows no bounds. Is nothing sacred?

Half_way

Que the comments of if you dont do the crime then you wont get the fine