Cottingley residents criticise 'short-sighted' plan to sell village car park

Campaigners say the Skirrow Street car park in Cottingley provides about 10% of the village's car parking

Plans to sell off a village car park should be reconsidered amid fears it could affect tourism and businesses, campaigners have said.

Cottingley residents said the Skirrow Street car park's sale would only make about £42,000 for Bradford Council.

It is among 150 sites the authority plans to sell off as it tries to stave off the risk of effective bankruptcy.

Presenting a petition to the council, campaigners warned against "short-sighted" decisions.

Bradford Council has previously asked for £80m in government help this financial year, as well as £140m for 2024-25, to plug a £220m overall funding gap over the next two years.

The planned sell-off of council-owned buildings and pieces of land - such as the car park in Cottingley - is part of a new agreement with the government for "exceptional financial support".

In total, the sales were expected to raise about £60m, according to the authority.

'Unhelpful consequences'

Cottingley became famous across the world for the Cottingley Fairies photo hoax dating back to 1917, which still attracts visitors to the village today.

Anita Brewin, who presented the petition calling for a rethink over the proposed sale of the Skirrow Street car park to council officials, said the site provided "approximately 10%" of parking in the village for residents and visitors.

She said there were fears that if on-street parking in Cottingley was "overwhelmed" as a result of the loss of the car park, the viability of businesses could be affected, as well as community activities and the value of homes, "many of which rely on street parking".

With the estimated value of the planned sale expected to be about £42,000, Ms Brewin added that the income the council would receive "cannot be put above the health and safety of residents if access to emergency services were to be compromised" due to more people parking on the street instead.

"Cottingley Town Hall's commitment to participate in Bradford City of Culture 25 and the annual Bingley Music Live Festival could be significantly compromised by the council's plans", she added.

Campaigners have now asked Bradford Council to fully investigate the impact of the sale of the car park on Cottingley residents and businesses.

Ms Brewin added: "We're not, as a community, insensitive to this challenge the council presently faces financially.

"But we would encourage you not to be short-sighted in decisions you make, reaping unhelpful and potentially costly consequences in the longer term."

The petition, which Ms Brewin said was signed by 341 people - residents of the 200 households in the village as well as tourists - is now due to be considered by Bradford Council's decision-making executive.