Car Parks Parking Consultations

Inclusion of Barn Theatre to the 24-26 Parking Services Works Programme (PSWP) was agreed by CPPP on 15 February 2024. Barn Theatre was included on the PSWP due to concerns regarding bay blocking, which limited the ability of the car park to serve patrons of the Barn Theatre.

Barn Theatre car park is owned by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, while Barn Theatre is a privately owned facility. The car park is not exclusive for the use of users of the theatre and instead serves a number of functions, these include day time parking for local businesses, parking for patrons of the Barn Theatre and parking for local residents. Use by residents and patrons is more common in the evenings and this is the time of greatest clash.

Barn Theatre car park comprises of 18 parking bays and officers believed that the only viable option to ensure turnover of the bays would be for the car park to become a pay and display. Officers felt this would be both unpopular and also not economically viable given the small size of the car park and as such this option is not recommended. Other options considered were time limited free parking (difficult and expensive to enforce), resident permit parking (would disadvantage patrons and local businesses) or disposal (would result in a benefit to the disponee only).

At a meeting with the Executive Member (Environment) and Handside ward councillors on the 10 November 2025 officers put forward options. These were discussed and it was unanimously agreed that there were no viable solutions which were likely to improve the position and as such it was agreed that consultation would not be beneficial. It was therefore the most efficient use of resources to remove this scheme from the 24-26 PSWP., and was approved for removal at: Agenda for Cabinet Planning and Parking Panel on Wednesday 21st January 2026, 6.30 pm