New car park proposed for Victorian walled garden and café

The Victorian walled garden at Distington Hall is owned and managed by Cumberland Council who have submitted the application to their planning department.

It could see a small car park created at the site which also offers a café.

The application is for a change of use of land which is currently a "grass/scrub" area.

Cumberland Council wrote in their application that "some initial site clearance preparatory work has commenced."

Distington Walled Garden has gained popularity since opening and is maintained by volunteers (Image: Distington Walled Garden)

A design and access statement attached to the application states that: "there is currently a very limited amount of car parking available.

"This is confined to a small area of hardstanding immediately outside the main entrance to the garden - enough for [a] maximum [of] four cars."

Their proposal is to create 12 new parking bays, including a disabled access bay, immediately alongside the new pedestrian entrance into the walled garden.

A new entrance would be created by re-opening the bricked-up archway in the boundary wall and installing a "new bespoke gate."

In addition, a "paved surface suitable for wheelchairs" would be constructed between the car park and the new pedestrian access.

Cumberland Council add that the "number of visitors is steadily growing" particularly for the on-site café which is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 3pm.

They note that, "even on quiet days, car-parking demand exceeds the spaces available.

Distington Walled Garden and its café regularly host Artisan Fetes and have volunteers "present most days" for the "ongoing maintenance of thee garden and café."

Distington Walled Garden is said to have "steadily growing" number of visitors (Image: Google Maps)

A programme of weekend Volunteer Activity Days also take place on the first Saturday of every month between 10am and 12pm.

Cumberland Council said that: "When the 'Artisan Fetes' are taking place, the situation becomes even more of a problem, with many cars having to park on the grass verge of the access road leading to the crematorium.

"The proposal for a formal car park will address this problem to a large degree."

If successful, the car park would operate on a one-way system , with entry to the car park via the existing highway access and signs installed.

The exit would include a new tarmac "bell-mouth" and dropped kerb.

Any traffic existing the car park would be directed to follow the current one-way system via the crematorium before re-joining the road via the existing junction.

The surface proposed for the car park is a grass cellular system, "suitable for bearing the weight of vehicles" which "will ensure the car park is hardwearing, free-draining, and in keeping with the surroundings."

Associated landscaping is also proposed which would include two new shrub beds and the creation of a "wildflower verge."

The existing tree at the entrance of the proposed car park is intended to remain.

Cumberland Council are yet to share a decision on the application.