MP Challenges Teddington Car Park sale

12.24.06pm GMT Thu 19th Feb 2004

The row over the council's proposed sale of the Teddington North Lane car park site will reach a new pitch at the special meeting of the council on February 23rd. Vince Cable MP has also become involved in support of the residents who have asked him to refer the matter to the local government ombudsman because of the lack of proper consultation and secrecy that involved. Vince Cable has already written to obtain assurances from the Chief Executive that the sale meets statutory requirements to achieve 'best value' for council tax payers.

"This is a very unusual transaction. As I understand it, the sale is set to go ahead the day before the UDP inspection report is published. If the report recommends having use on the site then the developer will make a killing and the council will get a good deal less for the sale then it could have done. If the report opposes having use the council will get cash for a largely worthless site which will then become derelict. Either way the community will loose a valuable facility. It has become clear that interests have changed since the then, Lib Dem council officially listed the site for sale several years ago, because Teddington is a much busier shopping centre and parking demand is much greater.