Wokingham Borough Council has applied to use one of its Shute End car parks for temporary storage of home to school transport vehicles.
The site of the unused, enclosed Shute End car park (south) off Biscoe Way was previously part of the Paddocks car park prior to the Elms Field regeneration.
It was used as a compound during the construction of the residential development until early 2023.
In its application, Wokingham Borough Council said the site presents an opportunity to park small vehicles/buses (up to 22 seaters) associated with the operation of its home to school transport contract.
It added that no development work was going to be made.
It added that vehicles would be parked in the secure car park overnight.
The contractor’s staff will arrive, park their own vehicle and then pick-up the transport vehicle to start picking up children by 7:30 am at the latest.
The vehicles would likely be returned to the site mid-morning, assuming that there are no associated trips such as taking children to another school for swimming for example.
The vehicles will then be used for the afternoon school run; usually returning to site by 5.00 pm, although the operator may want to run linked journeys after school if they have the opportunity – which then means the vehicle return time would be later.
The only operational requirements on site are vehicle storage and the drivers being able to undertake walk-round vehicle checks.
Any vehicle maintenance would be undertaken off-site at a main depot or garage. The number of buses proposed to be stored at the site will be confirmed as part of the Council’s award of the contract, but will not exceed five.
It sought temporary permission for a two-year period.
It added that impacts to the neighbourhood of the proposed use would be minimal, commensurate to the activities and impact that could reasonably be expected if the site were to be brought into its consented use as the Shute End Car Park South.
Several objections from local residents had been received prior to the end of the consultation, citing the increase in potential traffic.
For more information you can search planning application 241546 on Wokingham Borough Council’s planning portal.
