A FURIOUS Dartmouth householder has accused the district council of cashing in on the town's parking problems by demanding huge rents for desperately needed parking spaces.

The council is asking for at least £1,500 a year plus VAT for each of the five new parking spaces off Victoria Road as it offers them up to the highest bidder.

Helen Curley had rented a parking space on the site for more than 20 years before her licence was revoked and she was told to move off last year.

Now the council is asking for six times the amount she had been previously paying – and then when she put in a tender for one of the spaces she was turned down.

Ms Curley said that only wealthy second home owners would end up being able top afford the rents.

'What they are asking is more than two months salary for a lot of people around here,' she said.

'Asking people to tender does not seem a fair way of doing this. No one has a clue how much to bid.

'People who work locally have no chance of affording it.

'They [the council] are cashing in on the fact that people are desperate for parking in Dartmouth.'

But South Hams Council was adamant it was doing nothing wrong by merely demanding the 'market value' for the spaces.

A spokesman said: 'Public tender was elected as the most transparent and fairest means of letting the spaces to give all interested parties an equal opportunity to bid.'

The five new spaces were marked out after the land became free following the £228,000 scheme to demolition the old South Ford leat aqueduct and pipe it underground.

The demolition has freed up a small area of land at the bottom end of the old aqueduct where there is room for the five new car parking spaces.

Before the redevelopment there was room for a single car parking space upon what had been derelict land which Ms Curley, who lives in Roseville Street, had been renting for more than 20 years. She was told to move off while the demolition work was going on and then told she would have to put in a tender bid to the council if she wanted her space back.

She put in her tender for far more than she had been paying before and was still told it was not enough.

Ms Curley is furious the council has taken no account of the fact that she had been renting a space there for so long.

And she is also angry that the council is demanding so much money which is way beyond many local people.

'The council is supposed to be working to help local people but by setting the cost so high who can afford it?

'They will probably go to second home owners or people who have lots of money.'

The council spokesman said: 'The tender process began in the middle of September when the works to the Leat were completed, with a closing date of October 25 2013.

'Two acceptable offers were received and leases are in the process of being prepared for these spaces.

'Unsuccessful bidders have been given an opportunity to submit a revised bid in excess of £1,500 per annum for the remaining spaces.

'The council needs to obtain best consideration in such circumstances and believes that this represents the market value of the spaces, with current charges for a reserved space within a South Hams Council pay and display car park set at £1,431 per annum and subject to a lengthy waiting list.'