Parking restrictions will be installed across the Cassiobury estate in Watford after “overwhelming” support from residents.

Eighty three per cent of households who responded to a consultation last month said they supported the introduction of controlled parking to ease parking problems on the estate, Watford Borough Council's Cabinet heard last night.

The plans will now be “absorbed” before a final decision is made at Cabinet's January meeting, ahead of implementation next September.

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “The formal decision is not being taken this evening. We are giving a very clear indication of the way forward.

“We want people to absorb the whole report, reflect on it. But we're not expecting there to be significant changes to this. This is what we're going to go with but we're allowing time because things have been done so quickly and the overwhelming response rate."

To cater for hundreds of residents thought to be attending the meeting, the venue was switched from the Town Hall to the Colosseum.

Inside, however, the handful of people in the audience were outnumbered by councillors and officers as they heard the results of the consultation with Cassiobury residents held between November 9 and 29.

Residents were asked to consider four options to best ease parking congestion on the estate.

And of the 59 per cent of households who responded, eight per cent wanted no change and 25 per cent favoured double yellow lines at junctions.

Thirty seven per cent supported controlled parking from Monday to Friday, while 21 per cent backed a CPZ between Monday and Saturday.

There will also be a limited number of pay and display bays.

However, the report said a “distinct lack of support” for the scheme in some areas meant a CPZ will not be rolled out across the whole estate.

Six petitions were also received against certain elements of the proposed scheme, including 700 signatures from clients at the Park Veterinary Centre.

Residents from Bellmount Wood Avenue and staff from Cassiobury Park Infant and Junior Schools suggested they be excluded from the scheme, while households in Cassiobury Drive, north of Bellmount Wood Avenue, requested additional restrictions to prevent parking problems relating to the two schools.

It is also proposed that the CPZ should only be enforced from September 1 to June 30, to allow visitors to freely use the park during the summer months. The scheme would also be enforced on bank holidays.

Once adopted, a review of the scheme would be conducted after six months.

Park ward councillor George Derbyshire praised the “extraordinary high response rate”.

He said: “Three local councillors have been involved in this for two years. We're very gratified we are now getting to a resolution.

“The residents clearly demonstrated there are problems they want addressed. What's interesting is of those people who responded and made a clear preference, nine out of ten have said something has got to be done.”

Fellow ward councillor Zoe McQuire added: “The reduction in July and August will take away the concerns that people in the rest of Watford will have. The flexibility here is quite important. The fact it may not be what we do in the rest of Watford does not mean we should not do it.”

Conservative councillor Andrew Mortimer labelled parking a “poisoned chalice”, and suggested those residents who rejected a CPZ in their road may change their minds once the new college development in Hempstead Road opens in September 2010.

He said the decision to allow the redevelopment with only 265 parking spaces would be “disastrous” for residents in nearby Park and Nascot wards as students would be forced to leave their cars elsewhere.

But Jane Custance, head of planning at the council, said that the council would have lost any appeal if it had refused planning permission.

She said: “I don't think that's a decision we could have defended.”

Meanwhile, Labour councillor Nigel Bell raised concerns about the “viability” of the scheme, which must pay for itself through permits, pay and display machines and fines.

Manny Lewis, managing director of Watford Borough Council, said full financial details will be provided at Cabinet's January meeting, where a final decision on the scheme will be made.

Mayor Thornhill added: “Council Tax doesn't subsidise parking. Nor does parking subsidise council tax. It has to wash its face.

“It's been quite a rollercoaster of a ride. It's an area where we're damned if we do and we're damned if we don't. I would like people to feel it was a genuine consultation despite emails to the contrary.

“The key thing is this is on steam for September 2010. A bespoke scheme that allows park users full access to their park.”

A final decision will be made at the next Cabinet meeting on January 18, 2010.