The Homs Road Car Park Working Group has drawn up a report to share their wish list for using this space with the full council. They approached Ross-on-Wye Town Council to seek permission for the appointment of an architect to draw up detailed plans, with a fully costed breakdown of options. This was agreed by the Council at their meeting on Monday, December 12th.

Despite taking up 40% of the carpark with a secure yard for storage, staff welfare facilities and secure parking, there will still be space for 55 cars. It is anticipated that as budgets are further cut by Herefordshire Council, the Town Council will take on more responsibility and the Group believes that having this yard will provide the space and flexibility to meet these challenges.

To begin with the Group proposes refurbishing the left hand redundant toilet building with toilet and kitchenette facilities, along with workbenches and storage to assist in town maintenance. Electricity and sewage facilities would have to be reinstated, then, depending on the refurbishment cost of the first building, it is suggested that the second building could be stripped out and made water tight for additional storage, or the toilets could be reinstated for public use, or the building could be knocked down.

The Group recommends a 10ft palisade galvanised steel fencing with a double width gate at the front and a single pedestrian gate at the rear of the yard be installed as a priority to make the site secure. The yard would take up approximately 40% of the car park and would utilise the left hand entrance of Homs Road which would provide access through the double gates into the yard, whilst the right hand entrance would be reopened and the existing height barrier be reinstalled to allow access to the car park which would provide 55 car parking spaces.

The Yard would extend to the end of the coach parking bays providing that it doesn’t block any fire escape routes from the neighbouring buildings. This would provide the town council with a good size yard that will allow for large lorries and other vehicles to easily access the site. It would also provide enough space for different sizes and types of waste containers that will hopefully reduce the current cost of waste disposal.

To provide further storage the Group proposes purchasing two secure shipping containers, which would provide water-tight storage for items such as road signs, flower baskets, water bowsers, rubbish bins, furniture, tools and equipment.

If the yard proves successful it was suggested that a purpose built unit could be built on the site in the future but that would be part of a second phase in years to come and not form part of the initial plan.

Both the car park and council yard will have to be reassessed for new levels of business rates.

The report had been circulated to Town Councillors before the meeting and they agreed to note the report.