Drivers using Westmorland Shopping Centre car park in Kendal are set to get wider parking bays this September, although the relining work will reduce the total number of spaces available.
Westmorland and Furness Council says the project is being planned in response to customer feedback that the existing bays are too narrow for many modern vehicles. The current 2.4-metre spaces will be increased to 2.6 metres, while some bays positioned between structural pillars will be widened to more than 3 metres where the building allows.
What will change at the Kendal car park?
The revised layout is intended to make parking more practical and easier to use for motorists. However, the council has confirmed that creating wider bays means there will be fewer spaces overall.
Work will be carried out on a floor-by-floor basis to limit disruption. Temporary closures will apply only on the levels where relining is taking place, rather than closing the entire car park at once.
The council said further information about the programme, including temporary floor closures and any effect on customers, will be issued before work starts in September.
Wider review of parking planned
The car park project follows an upgrade to its lighting, with energy-efficient LED lights installed throughout the building. The council said the lighting work was designed to improve visibility, customer safety and the overall visitor experience.
A broader review of parking provision across Kendal is also planned. A parking study is due to be commissioned from August 2026 to examine how parking is currently used and assess future demand across the town. It is expected to be completed by the end of March 2027.
The findings are intended to help shape future parking strategies and investment decisions. The council is also examining its own car-parking arrangements and usage, with the aim of freeing up more visitor and resident parking in Kendal town centre to help offset the reduction in capacity at Westmorland Shopping Centre car park.
Council explains the decision
Councillor Andrew Jarvis, Cabinet Member for Finance and Deputy Leader of Westmorland and Furness Council, said the shopping-centre car park remained important to Kendal town centre but was an ageing building designed for a different era of motoring.
“We regularly receive feedback from customers that the current parking bays are too narrow for many modern vehicles. By increasing the width of spaces, we are responding to those concerns and making the car park easier and less stressful to use.”
He said the investment would help ensure the council’s assets continued to serve residents, businesses and visitors, while the wider parking review would consider the town’s future needs and support its continued success.
