Douglas Council rejects winter motorhome storage at Noble's Park

Stephen Pitts said a long-term motorhome parking area was needed

Plans for a winter motorhome storage area in the Isle of Man's capital have been rejected by the local authority.

Douglas Council opted against permitting long-stay parking in the paddock area of Noble's Park due to concerns vehicles could be abandoned.

Councillor Steven Pitts had argued motorhomes were "blocking up much needed parking spaces" around the town.

However, fears were raised by Councillor Frank Schuengel that the area could become a "scrapyard".

The proposal would have seen permits made available to store motorhomes in the paddock car park, which is behind the TT Grandstand, between October and March.

It comes after the council introduced a six-hour disc zone limit across most of the area last year to clamp down on the number of abandoned vehicles left there.

During a debate on proposals, councillors raised concerns the scheme would not generate enough income or gain planning permission.

Mr Schuengel said he feared it could "devolve into a scrapyard", while Councillor Andrew Bentley said it was "not value for money", given the staff that would be required to monitor the site.

Use of a separate area of the park where motorhomes are permitted to stay for a maximum of four nights, known as the boneyard, was also ruled out due to planning concerns.

Mr Pitts told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the authority now had powers to remove any illegally parked vehicles following the introduction of new parking rules at Noble's Park.

A storage area should have been "top of the Council's agenda", he added.