TRADERS who wanted to use land around Carnforth's war memorial to hold a weekly market have had their plans thrown out by Lancaster City Council.

The Carnforth and District Chamber of Trade had applied to use land off Market Street, including the L-shaped parking area around the edge of the memorial, along with a small piece of land in front of Ash Trees Surgery, to site around six market stalls every Wednesday.

A number of traders have been using the land in recent weeks since the market moved from its old venue within the car park of the Queens Hotel, in a bid to attract more passing trade.

Planning officers, who visited the area on market day, were concerned that using the parking area resulted in the loss of seven off-street parking spaces, including two for disabled drivers, and an emergency doctor parking space for the adjacent surgery.

They also thought that plans to start at 5am, to allow traders to set up, would have an adverse impact on nearby residents.

Councillors followed a recommendation from officers to refuse the change of use application.

Keith Moore, chamber of trade chairman, said the market had flourished since it had moved to a more prominent position, and people in the town were 100 per cent behind the market relocating, proved by the fact there had been no objections to the plans.

He added the chamber would be happy to work with city council officers to look at how the loss of parking spaces could be resolved.