Parents will soon be told to stop using an 'unofficial' car park near a primary school in Stoke-on-Trent.

Holden Lane Working Men's Club, on Ralph Drive, Sneyd Green, was demolished last year and the site is set to be sold off by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Parents at nearby Holden Lane Primary School currently use the site as an off-street car park when they drop off and pick up their children. But the city council says a planning application to turn the land into a car park has never been submitted or approved.

The council will now put up a sign stating 'Private property – no right of access', to protect the site's ownership while it is marketed. But there are concerns that stopping parents using the land could create parking problems in nearby streets.

Conservative group leader Dan Jellyman asked about the current status of the land and its use as a 'community car park' in a formal question to council leader Jane Ashworth. In her written response, Ms Ashworth confirmed that the land was still owned by the council and that there had been no move to turn it into a car park.

The council is due to put up a sign saying 'Private property - no right of access' to protect the site's ownership (LDRS).

She said: "I can confirm the land is still in council ownership. There were discussions with a local school, but they did not wish to follow this through.

"The council will now progress marketing of the site which was declared surplus in January 2023. The council will also erect a sign stating private property no right of access to protect its ownership.

"If there are intentions to use the land as a car park then this would of course require a needs assessment and planning permission for a change of use. No planning application has been submitted or approved to create a community car park at this location."

At 3pm on Tuesday around 20 cars were parked on the land – mostly parents picking up their children from school. One of the parents, Shaun Boden, believes the council should let people continue to use the site as a car park.

He said: "I don't see why they can't just let us keep parking here, it's not causing any problems for anyone. If people started parking in the streets instead I'm sure they'd have something to say about that.

"And the council seem to like building car parks so I'm surprised they have a problem with this."

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