Agenda item

This report was requested by Councillor Murray, regarding the disposal of part of the King Street car park, Rochester for development. 

Councillors Murray and Bowler, as Ward Members, introduced the report advising the committee of local residents and businesses concern at the intention to dispose of part of the King Street car park in Rochester, when this would jeopardise the chance of success for local businesses, many of whom were small, specialist and independent businesses, in a difficult economic time. They also presented a petition of 120 signatures, from residents and businesses in the area including Rochester High Street and Star Hill, who opposed the sale of half the area of the current car park.

The committee was advised that since 2008, when the Cabinet agreed to dispose of 50% of this car park, there had been four significant residential developments in the local area, of which only one had absorbed all its parking requirements. The other developments required some residents to find parking in the surrounding area. There was also soon to be a development on the old police station site, where currently approximately 30 cars parked informally for free. Once this development had been completed, those cars would need to park elsewhere in the vicinity.

The Ward Members also highlighted the car park survey figures used in the report when the original decision was made, noting that some of these had taken place at 7.30am and during the evening, when the car park was not being used for business use and not at its peak activity levels. They stated that as outline planning permission had been refused and no one had bought the car park, it was a suitable time to review this decision due to the significant changes in the area and to show support to local businesses.

The Ward Members also raised the issue of parking problems when the various annual festivals took place in Rochester, where the loss of further spaces would be felt but also, as a separate issue, that special provision of large car parks was required for festivals in the future.

The committee discussed the parking problems in Rochester during the festival periods and the development of the old police station, voicing their concern at the displacement of the cars currently using this site to park free of charge. Members agreed that Rochester High Street had the highest amount of independent businesses and people drove there for a specific reason or purpose and therefore King Street was critical, as it was in the heart of the area where people wanted to be.

Members voiced concern at the times that previous parking surveys had been carried out and that there were other commercially viable car parks in the area, so, therefore parking provision must be required and was being used.

Decision:

The committee agreed to recommend to Cabinet that it defers the implementation of decision 130/2008 to dispose of 50% of King Street car park in Rochester until after the development, and occupation, of the old police station site in Rochester and that officers re-evaluate the use of this car park and car parking in the local area and report back to Cabinet for re-consideration of this matter at that time.