The move has split opinion in the area
Homeowners have voted to bring in what is thought to be Britain’s most expensive parking – to stop outsiders from nicking their spaces. New tariffs are in place at Springfield Park in Maidstone, Kent – with the first hour now costing an eye-watering £50.
Weston Homes, the firm that developed the new-build estate, said the sky-high fees are meant as a deterrent as residents have grown fed up of their spots being “monopolised by members of the general public”.
But, speaking on Wednesday (October 8), some said finding parking for their own visitors has now become a struggle. With each of the 502 flats having only one designated parking space, they said they have even had to sell their cars and find spots far away from their homes to avoid constant charges.
The new prices were brought in on October 1. It now costs £50 for the first hour, £55 for up to two hours, £60 for up to four, £65 for up to 12 and £70 for a 24-hour period. Rosie Harding, 26, has lived in her new build flat for just over two years.
The mum of a newborn says she even had to travel to hospital a day after giving birth as there would be nowhere for her midwife to park without paying a hefty charge.
She said: “I think it is appalling. It was £3 for six hours before. £50 is insane. It is annoying because we don’t really have any other visitor space. We had to sell one of our cars just so that we could stay living in this place.
“It is just horrible. We can’t have many visitors over because there is nowhere for them to park. I used to park there all the time, but the money really adds up and now it is shocking.
“The rules on parking are really weird, because they are trying to catch you out and get money. The parking is gated and there are always wardens patrolling. When we had to see a midwife after my son’s birth there was nowhere for her to park, so we had to go to hospital with my one-day-old.”
The mum also pointed out that the fence surrounding the car park is falling down in places, which she says is “not what you want when you’re paying all that money.”
Ryan Kingsford, 24, who just moved into his flat says he has also had to compromise on cars, parking his work van around the corner to avoid the fees.
He said: “It is a bit of a nightmare to park around here. I have a van as well as our car, so I have to park it quite far away.
“You only get one parking space here, and most households nowadays have two cars. The parking in the side roads is also very scarce. £50 an hour is ridiculous. It should be that for a week. I have never seen anywhere charge near £50 an hour, even in London.
“It is worrying parking my van elsewhere as if it gets broken into then that’s a lot of money lost from the company. There is apparently a discount code for residents, but it is a lot of hassle to do, and we would rather it just be simple.”
Weston Homes said management company RoseTree Estates held an annual meeting with residents where it was decided that the high tariffs would help deter the general public.
For leaseholders and their visitors who have the unique codes there are separate costs, with parking starting at 70p an hour. One resident of six years, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Parking obviously is a joke here.
“We were promised that there would be more visitors parking, but there has been nothing. We asked for these new charges. Lots of people used to park two cars in the visitors’ spaces and leave their own designated spot free for visitors.
“People were parking here to go to the football, shops, to town, but it is ours and we pay for it so why should we let other people use it.
“We all have our own codes that you can give visitors so that they can park there for less money.”
A spokesperson from Weston Homes says: “The property management for Springfield Park is undertaken by RoseTree Estates, the managing agent, to help ensure its successful upkeep.
“RoseTree Estates have adopted new visitor parking charges at the development, after close liaison with the leaseholders and a vote at the leaseholders’ Annual General Meeting.
“At the AGM, leaseholders alerted the managing agents that for some time, the parking bays have been monopolised by members of the general public, who do not live at the development, and a small number of residents who are multiple car owners.
“This has resulted in a lack of available parking bays for owners/residents and their guests, which has resulted in family and friends visiting homeowners at the development being forced to park further afield.
“The result of the changes to the parking bay charges means that there are now two separate tariffs for leaseholders and their authorised visitors, and those for members of the general public. For leaseholders and their visitors, parking charges start from 70p an hour. For members of the general public, from £50 an hour.
“The leaseholders and managing agents have implemented these changes to help ensure that the development’s few visitor parking bays are available for leaseholders/residents rather than third parties who do not live on site.
“Weston Homes are supportive of these changes since they are the direct result of a democratic vote taken by leaseholders at their Annual General Meeting.”
