Parking proposals at Belsay Hall approved

A planning application by English Heritage to relocate and improve the parking offer has received the green light from Northumberland County Council.

The Grade I listed visitor attraction has only 49 all-weather parking bays at the moment.

The proposed changes will see the relocation of most parking from the Hall entry area, the provision of all-weather parking in the south-west part of The Paddock and improvements to the parking surface in the Lower Walled Garden.

This would increase the number of surfaced parking spaces to 197 and the overall capacity to 314.

This application forms part of the Belsay Awakes project which aims to spread visitor numbers more widely throughout the year, which is reliant on improved parking provision.

A planning report states: ‘It is considered that design and layout of the proposals would positively allow for the relocation of parking away from the entrance of a Grade I listed building.’