NORTH Yorkshire County Council has submitted a planning application (to itself) to build a permanent 132 space car park on the football pitch at County Hall park in Northallerton, an area of green space well used by footballers, children and dog walkers alike (D&S, Sept 2).

The council’s justification is thatitis an attempt to remove the inconsiderate and uncontrolled parking, by a relatively small number of its employees, in the streets around County Hall. Although I have lived on Broomfield Avenue for more than 20 years, and fully appreciate that such onstreet parking can be both annoying and inconvenient, I strongly believe that the removal of some of our scarce and well used amenity space is out of all proportion to the perceived problem.

By its own survey, 93 per cent of County Hall employees travel to work by car.

This figure is unreasonably high and there appears to be few incentives to encourage employees to car share, work from home or use other modes of travel. Surely this is where part of the problem lies, and should be addressed in the first instance rather than building on an area of well-used green space.

Both Romanby Parish Council and Sport England have strongly objected to the planning application. It is also clear from Hambleton District Council’s response that it has major reservations.

These views should not be ignored by the county council.

I strongly urge your readers help save this important green space and to contact your local county councillor (David Blades represents Romanby and Broomfield and is on the planning committee: cllr.david.blades@northyorks.gov.uk) and formally object to the planning application (NY/2016/0045/FUL).

The application is to be determined on the October 25 at County Hall.

Paul Cornfoot, Northallerton