LYME REGIS: Visitors to Monmouth Beach will have to pay for evening parking during the summer after the town council set out regulations after taking control of the car park from West Dorset District Council.

In May 2014, Lyme Regis Town Council agreed to end West Dorset District Council's lease of the Monmouth Beach car park - and will charge until 9pm during July and August.

The changes need to be ratified by full council, and would come into affect from April - when the town council officially takes control of the car parks.

Currently, the town council charges £1 an hour to park at Cabanya car park between 8am and 9pm. West Dorset District Council also charges £1 an hour at Monmouth Beach, but does not charge users after 6pm. The charges will not be increased.

Cllr Lucy Campbell said: "During the high season - those car parks are going to be full whatever you charge.

"People want to be able to be straight on the seafront and enjoy their evening. We would be mistaken not to charge into the evening, particularly in the summer time.

"The reality is that we are missing out on three good hours of charging time."

But Cllr George Symonds, who is also a district councillor, said West Dorset District Council do not charge after 6pm in order to support businesses.

Mayor Sally Holman said the town council should follow suit with other coastal areas across west Dorset and not charge during evenings.

"I am in favour of continuing no charge after 6pm" she said. "If West Dorset are not doing it at West Bay and other places along the coast, I think we would be unwise to give that up."

Deputy mayor Anita Williams proposed the council keep the car park charge until 6pm, other than July and August when the charge will run until 9pm.

Committee chairman Cllr Mark Gage said: "The agreement was that in the first year, we look to make as little change as possible and learn as much as we can.

"There is a real demand and people will always park where is closest rather than where it is cheaper."

Councillors also agreed to hike up the price of commercial parking permits at Woodmead car park to stop 'holiday companies being subsidised by taxpayers.'

The permits will be raised from £370 to £450.

Cllr Chris Clipson said: "It's outrageous we are subsidising holiday companies and their tenants in holiday times to this amount of money. It's absolutely ridiculous."

Cllr Williams said: "When you walk around the car park and you look at the number of cars with permits on, I'm absolutely amazed there are only 31 issued.

"We through the council and our residents and our taxpayers are subsidising the ability of those holiday property owners to make a profit."

Resident permits will remain at £160 - while non-residential permits, of which eight out of the 11 holders have a second home in Lyme Regis, will be raised from £250 to £275.