Ramsey Commissioners to oppose quayside parking loss

Parking spaces would be lost on the quayside as part of the plansa

Ramsey Commissioners have voted to formally oppose controversial proposals to revamp the town's quayside.

The plans, which are designed to improve flood defences, would see the loss of 70 parking spaces in the area.

The government submitted designs for the scheme for approval by planners last month.

Commissioner Juan McGuinness said there was a "flaw with the design" of the project.

The £4m scheme spearheaded by the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) includes a new glass and concrete wall and the development of nearby roads, which would lead to a reduction in parking spaces.

More than 900 people supported an online petition opposing the loss of free on-street parking in the town.

'No point'

At a special meeting of the board to discuss the application on Monday, Mr McGuinness said, although he was "all for a huge investment in the town", there would be no point if the plans led to a drop in footfall in the town.

Mr McGuinness told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "There's no point the quayside looking lovely if there's no one in town and no businesses in the town to come to, and the harbour's not a working harbour anymore.

"No one in Ramsey is objecting to flood defences, but when the loss of parking is not directly related to the improvement of flood defences and is purely on DOI's plans and architecture … that's where there's a flaw with the design," he added.

In its application, the DOI said the quayside's "current arrangement of echelon parking is seen as unsafe".

A recent study in the town "suggests that parking within the whole of Ramsey is not at a premium", and was "only ever at 75% of full capacity", it added.