A SHORTAGE of available car spaces in the town’s main business district, partly prompted by increased development and population growth, has prompted the Glen Innes Severn Council to consider the feasibility of extending the Town Hall car park next year.

As a result of a lack of availability of car spaces in the main street, council rangers have conducted regular parking patrols enforcing the hourly parking limits. But many of the penalty infringement notices have been issued to local business proprietors and employees who have a lack of suitable car parking within their properties. The extension of the existing car park at the rear of the Town Hall car park would provide parking for local businesses and free up on-street parking for customers.

Council has been offered an area of land, behind the Town Hall, 30m by 40m from property owners of 271, 281 and 285 Grey Street free provided the land is developed for car parking. It is estimated the area of land would provide car parking for between 20 and 30 vehicles.

The cost to extend the car park is estimated at $250,000, which covers legal costs, storm water drainage, kerb and guttering, street lighting, sealing and line marking. However in the current management plan council has not made provisions for this development. Therefore the proposal will be presented for council’s consideration during the 2009-2010 Management Plan and Budget deliberations conducted in the first half of next year.

In the meantime Director of Engineering Services Vanessa Menzie will prepare a full design and cost for extending the Town Hall car park, while council will negotiate with the property owners the area of land as they feel 40m by 40m, providing car spaces for 30 to 40 vehicles would be more viable.

Naomi Davidson