BELSTONE PARISH COUNCIL – VILLAGE CAR PARK POLICY

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BELSTONE PARISH COUNCIL

Adopted 20th October 2020, last reviewed July 2022

Introduction

The Belstone village Car Park is leased and managed by the Belstone Parish

Council for the use by residents and visitors to the area.  The land is historically designated as common land within the Dartmoor National Park.  Common land is available for grazing (and other prescribed rights) by registered commoners.  It is not publicly owned land.

The Dartmoor National Park Authority has enacted bye laws which apply to all the Dartmoor commons including the Belstone and South Tawton commons.  Of relevance to this car park the bye laws prescribe the following:

  • Vehicles may only drive on, or park on, land set aside specifically for the purpose of use by vehicles and not on any other common land;
  • No vehicle (including a caravan or campervan) may be used for camping ( ie overnight sleeping) on the common land [including car parks] unless the area is signposted as being available for the purpose;
  • Nobody is permitted to light a fire or cause a fire to ignite, on the common land.
  • There shall be no interference with the National Park Rangers in the carrying out of their duties

Any breach of the bye laws may result in a summary fine not exceeding Level 2 on the standard scale.

[Ref: Section 90 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and section 11 of the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985.]

Belstone Village Car Park Rules:

In addition to the bye laws set out above, which apply to the whole of the National Park, the following rules were adopted by the Parish Council on 20th October 2020 to apply to Belstone village car park:

  1. All vehicles are left entirely at the owner’s own risk.
  2. No vehicle may be stored on the car park for longer than one week without the express advance permission of the Parish Council.*  The Council reserves the right to have any vehicle removed at the owner’s expense.
  3. The car park shall not be closed off for any purpose without the advance permission of the Parish Council.*
  4. Overnight sleeping in vehicles or camping is not permitted in this car park.
  5. All rubbish shall be taken home – there are no rubbish or dog bins in the village.
  6. All dogs to be kept under close control and when the notices are up  regarding lambing and ground nesting birds, please keep them on leads.
  7. There shall be no trialling of bikes or other vehicles in this car park
  8. No commercial notices or other notices not relating specifically to the village of Belstone may be fixed to any structure within the car park.
  9. No vehicles may be offered for sale within the car park.

In addition, please park as efficiently as you can within the car park to allow as many vehicles to park as possible in order to prevent too many vehicles driving into the village and obstructing access for local residents.

This policy will be reviewed every 3 years.
Adopted 20th October 2020
Reviewed & amended 12th July 2022

*  Contact the parish clerk on or 01837 849131