East Devon District Council agrees to remove parking restrictions at Honiton block of flats.

Residents at a block of sheltered flats in Honiton are delighted that parking restrictions are to be lifted following constructive talks with officials from East Devon District Council.

A row broke out when the council painted double yellow lines along the access road to Dunning Court, off Dowell Street, meaning residents and their carers would be forced to pay �1 an hour to park in nearby Lace Walk car park.

Dunning Court comprises 36 dwellings, but has just seven designated parking spaces.

Resident Michael Baker, 58, told the Midweek Herald: “We are not holding our breath, but we have been told the lines will be taken out.”

Mr Baker said residents from 16 of the dwellings at Dunning Court attended a meeting with council officials on Tuesday last week.

“It was quite an emotive subject for many of them,” he said.

“We were assured that we were not singled out for parking restrictions.

“The council had looked at various sites across the district. We pointed out that shoppers were not using the access road for parking to avoid pay and display charges.

“It was being used by carers, who often get shopping for residents.”

The residents have been told that a hedge along the access road will now be removed to make it easier to park.

Up to 90 per cent of them are disabled and they say parking in Lace Walk will be too costly and difficult for them to manage, because of mobility issues.

A spokesman for the district council said: “We have listened to residents’ concerns and have arranged for the yellow lines to be removed.

“We have also agreed to grub out most of the hedge along the fence line where most parking occurs on the entrance road to allow residents to park close to the kerb and open their doors without damaging their cars.

“We trust that this will resolve the car parking issues at Dunning Court to the residents’ satisfaction.”