Titchfield Festival Theatre: Carparking and road safety concerns outlined as future of the theatre hangs in the balance

While Titchfield Festival Theatre’s artistic director was said to be very resourceful in finding parking venue spaces for its patrons, the council criticised their convenience and safety.

As part of a mammoth fourth day of the inquiry, highways evidence was presented to the planning inspector to decide if the Arden – part of a complex of Titchfield theatres – should stay open or be closed or consider a ‘fall-back’ position to reduce its seat numbers to 341. Fareham Borough Council issued an enforcement notice, claiming the venue did not have planning permission, with the theatre now appealing.

The government-appointed planning inspector heard evidence about the impact of the increase in theatregoers visiting the 450-seat Arden Theatre over a year. The main consideration was the impact of the potential 33,000 visitors to 102 performances each year that the council calculated. Fareham Borough Council said how customers get to the theatre and where they park at the semi-rural location was part of the ‘harmful effect’ on highway safety, including the free flow of traffic and the living conditions of nearby residents.

The Titchfield Festival Theatre includes three other venues; The Oak, The Acorn and the Great Barn, and people living nearby have complained about visitors parking on verges in St Margaret’s Lane, the dangers theatregoers face as they are forced to walk along the road and the lack of parking near the Arden.

On Friday (May 17), inspector Nancy Thomas heard evidence from expert witnesses on highways, covering all the different transport issues, historical and current, associated with the development of the theatre and its impact on the neighbourhood. Experts presented evidence on ways of getting to the theatre, such as walking and cycling, bus services, and cars, and they looked at the impact of increased traffic and parking on the Titchfield and St Margaret’s Lane area.

Theatre bosses believed they did not need planning permission to build the Arden but the council said that because there would be a massive increase – a ‘material change’ – in the number of theatregoers, and the impact they would have in terms of getting to and parking in the vicinity of the theatre, it would need consent. As part of this process, the council said the theatre should have carried out a ‘sequential test’ which it did not do.

That means bosses should have looked at other available buildings for a 450-seat theatre with the same 1,000 square metre floor space the Arden offers. The council’s expert planning witness Stephen Jupp said in a quick Google search, he found seven buildings, two of which he believed could require further consideration. But the theatre did not do this which he said also lends weight to the argument from the council that artistic director Kevin Fraser knew he needed planning and went ahead regardless.

Expert highways witness Tom Fisher, on behalf of appellant Kevin Fraser from the theatre, and Stuart Morton representing Fareham Borough Council found some common points to agree but essentially disagreed.

Buses, walking and cycling routes

In Mr Morton’s opinion, walking routes and bus services are inadequate and not enough people will cycle to the theatre. Mr Fisher said buses could be used by non-drivers like youth theatre members, staff and theatregoers who may get to the venue by bus and then a taxi or lift home. They both agreed the bus service stopping at 8.20pm meant it was not viable to get home after the last theatre performance by bus.

Mr Fisher identified walking routes within the 1.6km walking radius Mr Morton had not included in his report. He said these non-traffic routes, ‘cut-throughs’, would be used by theatregoers walking and some bus users. Mr Morton said St Margaret’s Lane was inadequate for theatregoers as they were forced to walk into a carriageway with over 100 vehicle movements per hour.

Mr Morton and Mr Fisher agreed about congestion on St Margaret’s Lane at peak theatre times but disagreed on the danger. There was agreement that there had been no accidents in the last five years at peak theatre times although there had been three accidents on St Margaret’s Lane.

Car parks and parking spaces

Titchfield Festival Theatre has identified 156 off and on site parking spaces. A report showed 40 in its car park, 24 at St Margaret’s Nursery, 55 at Macfarlanes Packaging and 37 at Abbey Meadows. By using the Hampshire Highway measure of every one car covering five theatre seats, it said it allows for 780 seats.

The current planning permission at the theatre is for 35 tandem spaces, with a car sitting one in front of the other, not next to each other. A car parking management plan with on-site marshalls helps people to park. Mr Morton disagreed with the number of parking spaces identified in Mr Fisher’s report and said the measure of one car to five theatre seats should be applied to a city parking location not a rural location like the theatre. He said Abbey Meadows car park was limited as it was only available after 5pm for parking.

Mr Morton’s report only counts 19 car parking spaces onsite at the theatre, not the current 35, because he would like to see side-by-side parking which is sustainable. He said he disagreed with the tandem parking method. Closing arguments will be presented to inspector Nancy Thomas virtually on Tuesday, May 21, with a decision by July 3. A timetable and documents can be found here.