Brand new school car park remains padlocked

People living in a Lincolnshire village have told of their frustration that a car park built for its school is not being used.

The car park is opposite the primary school in Marton, near Gainsborough, and was constructed as a requirement for the developer behind a new housing scheme.

Despite being finished months ago, it remains padlocked while it waits to be handed over to the county council and then to the school.

The Marton Academy said a pedestrian crossing from the car park to the school was needed.

Villager Nicoya Palastanga got in touch with BBC Look North to express her frustration.

"Like lots of other communities, we have issues with school parking in that twice a day it's chaos," Ms Palastanga told the programme.

"[The car park was] finished in February and we just don't know why it is not open and being used."

Kevin Stevens of developer E5 Holding said the car park cost about £50,000 and he could have it open for use with "three hours' notice".

"Our obligation is to submit it to the council, so as far as we're concerned we've done what we needed to do," he said.

"We've obviously invested the money so it's a bit frustrating for us, not only the school parents and the school themselves... that it isn't being used."

Lincolnshire County Council said that its property team was working with the school over the transfer of the car park from the developer.

"Once an agreement is formally made, both transfers are expected to take up to six months," a spokesperson said.

"When the car park is transferred to the school, it will be up to them when they open it."

In a statement, The Marton Academy said it understood parents' frustrations.

"However, work remains to be completed to bring the car park into use," the school said.

"Essentially, this includes the definite need for a pedestrian crossing on Stow Park Road.

"The car park is on the other side of a busy main road from the academy and entry to the car park lies on the brow of a hill with poor visibility both for drivers and for those seeking to cross the road."

The school added that the council had told it the crossing would be "installed over the Easter holiday period in 2026".

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