North West Leicestershire District Council has confirmed it is not prepared to fund extra car parking space in Ashby.

Last week's meeting of Ashby de la Zouch Town Council's planning committee was shown correspondence from the district council in response to.a further request from councillors.

But the district council made it clear that further pressure from Ashby councillors would have no effect.

A letter from Ashby Town Council said that it wanted to encourage visitors 'from far and wide' to visit the town.

But currently, especially with no parking available at the dormant Royal Hotel, there is a lack of parking spaces.

In February, Cllr Mike Ball put forward a resolution that the council should approach the district council to suggest it buys the Royal car park - at a projected cost of around £1.5million - to prevent building on at least one side of the hotel and to ensure that the restored building has sufficient parking to operate satisfactorily.

But the district council responded to Ashby council's request by saying the completion of the Money Hill development - scheduled for 2024 - should provide a solution.

The letter to Ashby Town Council said: "North West Leicestershire District Council re-iterates its position that it is not buying any land to increase parking provision in Ashby for the reasons set out previously.

"Once the Money Hill development comes on line, this will enable the council to balance the provision of short and long stay parking and provides the opportunity to consider making some or all of the South Street car park short stay only for example.

"The issue of whether there is adequate parking for the Royal Hotel planning application will be considered as part of the determination for that application."