Plan B Forum

A parking space in a Cornish seaside resort could sell for £55,000 - more than twice the county's average salary.

The offer for the space in St Ives, where parking spots are at a premium, is being handled by Miller & Son.

Estate agents say there are so few places to park in the resort that people are prepared to pay large amounts for a town centre spot.

One said that as soon as a parking space went on the market it was usually a "dog fight" to buy it.

Five years ago an asking price of £24,000 for a parking space in the town made headlines.

Paul Le Bas, of estate agents Miller & Son, which has received the £55,000 offer for the space on Tregenna Hill, said: "Just put it on the internet, ring round everyone that you have on the list that is looking for parking and normally it's a dog fight after that.

"It's quite entertaining to do."

Jerry Harper, director of property developers Trelyon Estate Ltd which is expecting to get more than £50,000 for another space near the seafront, said buyers were usually second home owners.

"They do not want to spend hours driving around St Ives looking for a parking space and they want a guaranteed space available to them if they go out for the day," he said.

Councillor Colin Nicholls, deputy mayor of St Ives, said: "There's only a certain type of person that wants to pay all that, but it seems to me like a dinner party accessory.

"People are buying them to be able to say that because they are awash with money."

The seaside parking spaces that could be all yours (if you've got a staggering £50,000 to spare)




The princely sum has been earmarked for five car parking spaces in the Cornish seaside town of St Ives - as they go up for auction this month.

The price of the spaces, which is around 30 seconds walking distance from the centre of the popular beach fronted town, is more than twice the average £22,000 a year wage in the county.


And in a time of austerity the move has less than impressed everyone in the area.

Speaking about the lots, town councillor Andrew Mitchell said: 'It sticks in the throat of local people.

'It shows the mismatch in St Ives and many other Cornish villages and towns between the local population on low wages and seasonal jobs and second home owners.

'It is ridiculous that many of those that live here can't afford a home. They can't even afford one of these parking spaces.'

The spaces are on sale courtesy of estate agent Bradleys and employee Sam Peters said they have already turned down offers of £100,000 for two as they go ahead with an auction.

He said: 'We have got about 60 people who are interested. There is simply not enough parking capacity in the town for the number of people that are here.

'And there are plenty of people prepared to pay these kind of prices. If a house has a parking space in St Ives the value shoots up, so the spaces will pay for themselves.'

'It is ridiculous that many of those that live here can't afford a home. They can't even afford one of these parking spaces.'