PARKING charges are to be introduced at Turton Tower.

The ‘low-level’ fees will be deductible from the price of the entrance ticket for the North Turton attraction. 

The move follows concerns about damage to its car park by people walking on the surrounding West Pennine Moors.

The historic hall off Chapeltown Road lies just over the border from Bolton and is run by Blackburn with Darwen Council. 

It has become a popular spot for walkers during lockdown with the attached cafe also benefitting by serving takeaway hot drinks and cakes.

The move, authorised by leisure boss Cllr Damian Talbot, will make the car park ‘pay and display’ and and will ban parking on Tower Drive.

Cllr Talbot said: “Turton Tower car park and grounds attracts a significant number of customers who use the parking to access other parts of the West Pennine Moors to walk or cycle as well as simply walk their dog or visit the tearoom in the grounds throughout the year.

“Whilst this high level of usage is to be welcomed, it takes its toll on the the car park and is not beneficial to the tower as they are not paying to enter.

“This has been very evident in 2020 when the Tower has not been open to the public.

"In this time the car park and Tower road are regularly so full of cars that staff and volunteers cannot get on.

“There have also been several complaints from neighbouring houses that access is blocked by excessive parking on Tower Drive.

“It is proposed car parking charges are introduced in the main car park and Tower Drive becomes a no parking zone, as if only on the car park it will simply displace cars who will want to park on the road instead.

“It is recognised that there is a cost to enter the tower itself and it is recommended that the cost of parking could be deducted from the cost of a ticket.

“It is proposed that the volunteers would be issued with free passes . Turton Tower is an asset to the borough which we want to support for the future.

“The introduction of low-level parking charges has been deemed as an appropriate means to offset the significant costs of the upkeep of the car park, grounds and tower itself with initial monies going towards refurbishing the car park.”

The charges are expected to be set at either 50 pence or £1.

-

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nqnw.co.uk