Storm Builds up over Teddington Car Park

12.00.00am GMT Mon 2nd Feb 2004

Pressure from Teddington residents and traders over the sale of North Lane Car Park is growing and the issue will be raised by Teddington councillors in the February 10th meeting of the council's scrutiny committee for the environment.

Vincent Cable, MP, has also supported the campaign and has written to the council to challenge whether it is expecting to receive Best Value for council tax payers, as the legislation requires:

"Teddington is a relatively successful shopping centre which has held its own in the face of competition from Kingston and from the big superstores. If the council takes away a quarter of the off-street parking the viability of local shops will obviously be threatened".

"Local residents and traders are doubly angry that the decision has been taken without proper consultation and without thinking through the long term implications for the shopping centre. By jumping the gun on the planning inspector, who is looking at the UDP proposal, there is also a suspicion that the council may be trying to sell the site hurriedly at a discount, not securing best value for council tax payers; that is the issue on which I am now seeking an investigation".