PARKING charges will be introduced at a popular playing field.

Colchester Council wants to charge motorists 50p to park at the new Recreation Ground car park in Port Lane for up to two hours.

Parking for up to four hours will cost £2 and for longer than that will cost £4, except at weekends when long stays will be free.

The fees will apply between 8am and 6pm and look set to be introduced this summer.

Neighbouring residents will also be able to pay for overnight permits, costing £63 per year.

Theresa Higgins, Mayor of Colchester and Lib Dem councillor for New Town and Christ Church, said: “One thing we have always said is there is not enough parking in the area and people bring cars to walk their dogs.

“It has always been in the plans because in that area there is no parking. It won’t be free because like all these things, it has got to be maintained.”

But Father Richard Tillbrook, vice-chairman and treasurer of the community's Old Heath Task Group, had mixed views.

He said: "If demand for parking at the Recreation Ground is high, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to levy a small fee so that others may have a chance to park there. Is this car park of particular value to those who work or travel by train and who may leave their car all day?

"However, I see no justification for charging people to park after 6pm. People visiting friends or relatives in the evenings should not be charged to park their car and there should be nobody laying claim to their parking space in a public car park, which would be the direct result of issuing overnight parking permits."

New gates at the recreation ground were officially unveiled on Sunday.

The gates, next to the new café, are intended to celebrate the history and significance of the area.

Funding has come from The Heritage Lottery Fund.

Artist Tim Ward, of Circling the Square, spent six months running workshops and speaking with residents to help draw up the gate designs.

They were installed in March at the Recreation Road, Port Lane, Old Heath Road and Wimpole Road entrances.

Each entrance celebrates a different aspect of culture or history.