Planning Application for new Station Car Park

The first tangible phase of the rebuilding of Market Harborough station has moved a step closer with Network Rail submitting a planning application to Harborough District Council for the new station car park.  Notices about this were posted at the station on 2nd March and details can be viewed on HDC's planning website under reference 17/00261/FUL.  The plan is for one surface car park with 500 spaces, including 26 disabled spaces, on the east side of the line on the site of the old goods yard.  Some site clearance work has already taken place and the engineers' sidings will be relocated to Knighton Junction, near Leicester.  There will be pedestrian access from the car park direct to the new southbound platform, near the proposed footbridge to the northbound platform.  Vehicle access will be via the existing goods yard access road, suitably upgraded, with a junction onto Rockingham Road just east of the railway bridge.  The plan includes demolition of the old goods shed, which can be seen in the background behind the station sign in the photograph above.  Though not of any great architectural merit, it is perhaps a pity the old building could not be retained.  However, the plan is major improvement on the existing arrangements and it is an essential first step towards the long-awaited track realignment and station upgrade.  Harborough Rail Users have therefore written to Harborough District Council in support of the application.