A BID to improve and make permanent a car park used by people accessing Salisbury Cathedral has been rejected by Wiltshire Council.

The 70-space car park, found to the west of Harnham Gate at the Cathedral Close, has been used by visitors and staff since 1996.

The cathedral has been applying for temporary permission to use the former tennis court site as a car park since then, as it explored other measures to reduce the amount of parking in the close, which included introducing traffic calming and a one-way system.

The latest permission expired in 2014, but the car park remains.

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Salisbury Cathedral submitted plans to permanently change the use of the former tennis court at The Cathedral Close into a car park, as well as to create electric vehicle (EV) charging points, a cycle parking area and the resurfacing of the car park with tarmac to address potholes.

But these were rejected at a meeting of Wiltshire Council’s southern planning committee last Thursday (March 20).

The car park has a capacity for 70 cars Picture: Google

Members said that temporary consents were granted over the years in the hopes that a sustainable parking and transport solution could be found – something they feel has not been addressed in the plans.

They came to the conclusion that the plans should be refused, as they would not “significantly improve the appearance or condition” of the car park, and the design fails to enhance the setting of the surrounding heritage assets.