Resurfacing of Village Centre Carpark with block paving

Background There is a large car park area located at the Tangmere Village Centre for users of the Village Centre and the Recreation Field as well as staff members of Tangmere Parish Council. The car park is accessed from Malcolm Road and provides parking capacity for up to approximately 65 motor vehicles. The car park is also used for visitors to the dental practice adjacent to the Village Centre. Currently the majority of the car park is finished in pea gravel/aggregate with the existing surface having been in place since the opening of the VC. There is a tarmac area on the western side of the carpark closest to the main entrance to the Village Centre and this has several disabled parking bays. To the east of the car park cars frequently park on the grass areas to increase capacity. The pea gravel/aggregate is not easy to push children's buggies or wheelchairs across. Following any precipitation, the water forms large puddles across the whole surface of the car park which do not readily drain away. Potholes regularly form in the surface which require infilling to maintain a surface which is safe for vehicles and pedestrian. Proposed Works It was recognised several years ago that the carpark needed to be resurfaced in a suitable porous material. It was agreed that the preferred surface material was block paving laid on a suitable three-layer support system (subgrade; subbase and base). Plans were drawn up and planning permission was sought for these works however the necessary funds were not available at the time to further progress with the project. The planning permission has since lapsed. The Parish Council now wish to progress with the surfacing works using S106 Community Facility funding.