Works are due to begin on Monday (21 June) for a new free-to-use car park in Phear Park.

It will provide 12 parking spaces free of charge to the public, and be built on the grass verge near to the vehicle entrance.

Although there is already a parking area at the far end of the access road, there have been historic issues with vehicles parking on the pavement near the entrance.

East Devon District Council hopes that the new car park will reduce this issue, and has also decided to install steel-reinforced recycled plastic posts to prevent cars from parking on the pavement in future.

The council will also resurface the area's access road, from Withycombe Road to the Rifle and Pistol Club, which has needed regular pothole repair for several years.

The works will start on 21 June, with the new parking area due to be completed by 7 July, and the resurfacing of the access road and construction of speedbumps by 16 July.

The phases of works planned are as follows:

- Phase 1: The new parking area will be built, taking approx. two and a half weeks and will be completed by Wednesday 7 July. The access road will remain open, and businesses within the park will be unaffected.

- Phase 2: The far end of the access road and existing parking area will be resurfaced.

- Phase 3: The rest of the access road will be resurfaced.

- Phase 4: Speedbumps will be constructed.

Phases 2-4, starting on Wednesday 5 July, should be complete by Friday 16 July.

The access road will be closed to all public transport during this time and during Phase 2 the public toilets and other buildings adjacent to the access road will be inaccessible. There will be no public toilets available within Phear Park during this period.

The council has said that they will use a 'permeable cellular concrete system', often known as 'grasscrete', for the new parking area, in line with its aim to make the council carbon-neutral by 2040.

Councillor Geoff Jung, EDDC's Portfolio Holder Coast, Country and Environment, said: "There have long been issues with vehicles parking on the footway in Phear Park, making access difficult for pedestrians and vehicles.

"The 12 additional spaces provided in the new parking area should go some to way alleviating this and will utilise an underused area of the park."

For more information, you can email [email protected] or follow East Devon District Council on Facebook.