A DEVELOPER has submitted a planning application for a mammoth new car park on Green Belt land in a South Bucks village.

The developer wants to lay a 250-space paid car park on Green Belt land to the east of Thorney Lane South, the main road that connects Richings Park with Iver village.

The proposal from Paul Airey Planning Associates Limited, based in Esher, Surrey, is aimed at dealing with the increased demand that Crossrail will bring when the line is opened in 2019.

The planning, access and design statement says: “The scheme will address current and future demand for parking by users of Crossrail.

“The scheme will not only provide a much-needed facility for users of the rail connection, but will alleviate parking problems being experienced in the residential area.”

Iver Train Station, in Wellesley Avenue, Richings Park, does not currently have a car park and the small space around the station entrance is often rammed with cars.

The developer says this is in reaction to Buckinghamshire County Council’s document from September 2016, ‘Iver Feasibility Study, Traffic and Transport Study’ which states that not having a car park at Iver Train Station “causes significant on street parking within Richings Park as there are limited restrictions and controls. This leads to congestion and obstruction to the free flow of traffic.”

Residents came out in support of the proposal as long as it benefited them and commuters could not park anywhere else if they did not want to pay.

One said on social media: “I live opposite the train station and I hate the parking.

“Some park half over drives so they don’t miss their train. “

District councillor and founder of the Ivers Community Group, Paul Griffin, said: “It’s an excellent proposal that could alleviate the majority of problems so long as it works with restricted parking.“It’s on the Green Belt but I would support that as it’s a good use of land.”

The proposal will be put before South Bucks District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, April 12.