A DISPUTE over the use of a village hall’s recreation ground car park by the public has been resolved, with planners accepting it is lawful.

Lydbrook Memorial Hall trustees had been threatened with enforcement action by the Forest Council after planners learnt that people attending services at the nearby Church of the Holy Jesus were among members of the public who had been parking beside the recreation ground.

The trustees, who want to double the size of the car park area up to the football pitch, said they were simply providing a public service and stopping congestion on the narrow streets nearby.

And planners have now granted a lawful use as a public car park after the trust produced sworn evidence from six local residents that it had been in constant use for more than 10 years by members of the public and local businesses and clients.

One resident said he had used it to park since 1991, while Lydbrook Parish Council also backed the memorial hall in its application.

Passing the change of use, Forest planners admitted they had an aerial photo dating back to 2008 showing it full of cars.

In March, the trust was told it risked enforcement action after revealing that wedding and funeral congregations and a local car repair business were among those who regularly used the hall and sports ground car park.

Trust chairman Stuart Allison said at the time: “The car park is essential to the village. Its loss would cause serious road traffic problems to all users.

“The garage owner, who also owns the pub (the Jovial Colliers Inn) next door, allows teachers from the school to park their cars in his pub car park. If he was unable to use our car park, then he would be forced to remove this favour so his garage customers could use the pub car park.

“This would immediately cause safety issues, as there is no other parking space available off road.

“Our entire concern is to provide the best compromise for the village and avoid the potential for serious congestion and possible road traffic accidents occurring if our car park is no longer freely available to the public, requiring everyone to park on our unsuitable roads.”

The plan to double the car park to 60 spaces was needed to “provide occasional parking for the congregations attending the local church for funerals and weddings,” he added.