Plans for Bath’s first underground home parking system have been approved in a move city-based firm Cardok UK hopes will drive a home parking revolution in the area.
The pioneering system, featuring a space-saving Cardok hydraulic car lift, is included in plans for a new five-bedroom home in Hermitage Road which have been given the go-ahead by Bath & North East Somerset Council. 
The Swiss firm behind the Cardok, which has its UK headquarters in Bath, says the innovative lift system will double the parking space that would otherwise have been available.
The Cardok will accommodate one car beneath the driveway of the new property with space to park another on top. As well as providing more room for cars, the Cardok also offers greater security than a conventional garage.
The developer behind the scheme is Bath-based Nitor Investments, which specialises in new-build houses with an emphasis on green living.
Nitor managing director Nick Sandy – who is also chief executive of Cardok UK – said: “Like many historic towns and cities, home parking in Bath can be a real nightmare for residents because of a lack of space and strict planning controls.
“It’s also a major issue for developers and architects who often struggle to include adequate parking in their schemes.
“By incorporating Bath’s first Cardok into our building design we have been able to solve the parking issues associated with this particular site.”
Cardok UK managing director Nick Child, pictured, added: “We are delighted that planners in Bath have recognised the space-saving benefits of parking cars underground. 
“The Cardok offers a practical and affordable solution for local residents and developers alike, and has the potential to lift Bath out of its home parking misery.”
The Cardok is lifted by an electro-hydraulic system which is highly energy efficient, requiring about the same amount of power to operate as boiling a kettle of water.
It has been designed to lift 10 tonnes, with a safe working load of three tonnes per deck – a Range Rover weighs around 2.7 tonnes.
The Cardok comes with a small back-up generator so that owners can always gain access to their cars, even during a power cut.
