A village is throwing its support behind a new car park for its controversial local theatre, with the idea being dubbed the “icing on the cake”.

The three-theatre Titchfield Festival Theatre site was granted a licence to serve alcohol in February but the fate of its new £1.7million 450-seat Arden theatre is still to be decided after the council said it was built without permission.

In the latest development, Titchfield residents are backing plans for a paddock opposite the venue in St Margaret’s Lane to be turned into a 97-space car park for use by theatregoers.

The site is currently a green field with wooden stables at its northeastern side used for keeping horses.

It is bordered by the St Margaret’s Nurseries Garden Centre to the north, St Margaret's Lane and the Titchfield Festival Theatre to the east, a house to the south and a green field to the west.

Theatre boss Kevin Fraser has applied for planning permission from Fareham Borough Council and plans showed the surface would be compacted limestone aggregate.

Dozens of supportive comments have been submitted, including some saying the car park would provide better access for those with disabilities and how it would be the “icing on the cake”.

Among the comments, which have had names and addresses redacted by planners, one person said: “This is absolutely essential.

"This will greatly improve safety for drivers and pedestrians in the vicinity on days when the theatre is in use, not just performance days but all times, especially so as the footpaths in the immediate vicinity are limited.

“This is a hugely popular venue and this is a wonderful opportunity to provide the parking facilities it deserves.”

Another said: “A much safer option for those who are not within walking distance, parking at Kites Croft or Holiday Inn can mean a dangerous walk. “

A transport report used the now withdrawn Hampshire County Council parking standards for cinemas, theatres and music venues as a guide which said one car park space needs to be provided for every five fixed seats. If approved, the theatre will be able to provide a total of 132 spaces, enough for 660 seats.

The report prepared by Paul Basham Associates concluded the impact of traffic on the area is negligible.

The application said the site needs two-way traffic access permission via St Margaret’s Road and sustainable drainage to be built to take away surface water.

The controversy over the 450-seat theatre will be decided by an independent planning inspector.