Charges to be introduced at controversial Oxford car park

The off-street car park off Meadow Lane in Cowley has officially been turned into a public, chargeable car park by Oxford City Council.

It was previously used exclusively by the Falcon Boat Club after planning permission was granted by the city council in 2019 for a new boathouse, which included a condition that the Meadow Lane car park would be ‘exclusively’ used by its members.

Falcon Boat Club’s new boathouse (Image: Contribution.)

An application was then submitted by the council to convert the private car park into a public suburban car park which was approved in October.

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At the city council’s recent cabinet meeting on March 18, councillors resolved to create a new off-street parking place order and implement charges at the car park.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, cabinet member for planning and culture, said: “If you look at the proposed charges which will be consulted on, the objective here is not to charge people who are coming rowing and raise money.

“The purpose is to stop the car park being used 24 hours a day for commuter car parking, which I think we would all approve of.”

The proposed tariffs, which will be subject to public consultation ahead of being introduced, are free parking up to one hour, then £2 for between one and three hours, £4 for between three and five hours, and £15 for between five and 25 hours.