Space for a few more as temporary car park opens

A temporary car park has opened in the city ahead of work starting on a new multi-storey in Station Road West.

An area of council-owned scrubland near Canterbury West railway station has been concreted over to create 108 spaces.

Situated at the junction with The Spires, it opened this week to take the strain of lost spaces in the Station Road West car park, which is set to become a threelevel facility.

The existing car park offers 129 spaces, but half will close on Monday, March 6, when ground investigation and archeological work starts.

It is not yet known if it will reopen fully ahead of construction work starting on the multi-storey, which is expected to begin in January next year, subject to planning permission.

Chairman of the council’s Regeneration and Property Committee, Cllr Ben Fitter-harding, said: “We’re pleased to have met our commitment to opening the temporary car park in Station Road West before any sections of the existing car park are closed for the initial preparatory work.

“The plans for the new multistorey are taking shape and we will be coming out with a planning application in due course.”

Canterbury City Council gave its support to the £5 million scheme in July last year.

An official planning application has yet to be submitted, with the proposal still at design stage.

The city council will have to apply to itself for the planning permission.

It is expected the multi-deck car park could open next summer and the temporary site will close.

The council says a decision on what to do with the land afterwards has yet to be taken.

A temporary car park has opened in Station Road West. There are 108 spaces