Tesco is looking to change the parking control times at its Kingsbridge store car park on Cookworthy Road due to increased pressure on parking spaces.

A planning application (3094/24/VAR) has been submitted under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act to amend the car park management plan, which was originally approved as part of the store’s planning permission in 2007.

The current plan allows for free parking for up to two hours, after which a fine is levied. However, Tesco reports that the car park is often operating at or near capacity, with many spaces being used by non-customers, which is impacting the availability of parking for shoppers. Data collected through the Automatic Number Plate Registration system shows that the 158-space car park consistently exceeds the store’s operational target of 70 per cent capacity. This overcrowding has led to complaints from customers about misuse of disabled and child parking spaces, as well as non-designated parking.

In response to these issues, Tesco proposes to introduce new parking controls, reducing the maximum stay to 90 minutes. The move is intended to prioritise genuine shoppers and deter long-stay users. The proposed changes reflect typical parking patterns, with over 80 per cent of visits to the car park lasting less than 45 minutes.

Tesco also notes that local public car parks, which charge for parking, are less attractive to visitors compared to their free car park, further exacerbating the problem. The proposed changes are similar to those implemented at other local supermarkets, such as Morrisons, which operates a 90-minute maximum stay.

The revised management plan is now awaiting approval from the local planning authority.