Medway Labour urges rethink of car park sell-off

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Medway Labour urges rethink of car park sell-off

By Medway Labour ⋅ June 28, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Following a campaign by local Labour councillors, businesses and residents, the future of Rochester’s King St Car Park is looking more secure.

The Council’s Business Support committee have agreed to recommend to Medway’s decision makers at next month’s Cabinet that the sale of the land be deferred, until after such time as the nearby former police station site has been developed. This would allow usage levels of the car park to be reassessed in light of the development, with decisions on its future made accordingly.

This recommendation followed an item submitted to the committee by Rochester East ward councillors Teresa Murray and Nick Bowler, who voiced local concerns that removing the car park would exacerbate the existing lack of parking in the area, which has already been affected by nearby redevelopment.

Local resident Joanne Alsop said; “We have long argued that this vital amenity will be in even greater demand once the 20 or so spaces around the old police station site, currently free to park, disappear. The developers are now on site. Once the site is developed and populated we will have a better idea of the impact on local parking.”

Ward councillor and Medway Labour’s Deputy Leader, Teresa Murray said; “We will be urging Medway’s Conservative Cabinet to take on this recommendation. If they do, we will be calling for a new survey on car park usage once the former police station has developed, to show just how in demand this facility is. If the Cabinet are really serious about supporting local business they will accept the O&S recommendation and forego the short term gain of selling off public assets.”

Fellow ward councillor and Labour’s spokesperson for Planning, Nick Bowler, said; “To date any planning applications on the site have been refused, the area is already crowded with developments of flats, and we have very few facilities to show for council taxpayer’s money – our constituents deserve better from the council.”

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