Plans to keep a 'temporary' pay and display car park in Hanley for a further 12 months have been rejected by Stoke-on-Trent City Council. 

The former cinema site on Broad Street first opened as a car park in March 2019 and planning permission was granted for it to retain this use for three years. 

The applicant, Brakes Parking, applied for permission to keep the car park for another year as the use "resulted in a positive enhancement to the site which was previously vacant, unkempt and detracted from the quality of the area".

The 0.34 hectares site has space for 139 cars and no changes to the layout of the site were proposed as part of the application. 

A design and access statement submitted as part of the application states: "The City Council has long held aspirations to have a co-ordinated approach to public parking within the City Centre in order to establish strategic locations that visitors can be directed to. 

"The retention of the use of the site for a pay and display car park on a temporary basis would continue to deliver and assist with the provision of meeting additional parking capacity associated with the burgeoning business district and housing market."

These plans were refused by Stoke-on-Trent City Council on Friday 20 October. 

An officer's report, by case officer Karen Kent, said: "Whilst the proposal would utilise previously developed land within the city centre, it does not deliver a quality, well designed car parking solution nor offers a type of development that promotes effective use of land within the city centre. 

"As a result, the proposal is considered to detract from the street scene, conservation area and long-term regeneration aspirations of the city centre."

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