Councillors agree to investigate Whitesands parking options
At today’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee, Councillors agreed to progress plans for alternative car parking, should the Whitesands flood protection scheme get the necessary funding from the Scottish Government.
As a result of today’s committee our Council can look at making an offer to purchase land belonging to D&G Homes. This land is currently used for pay and display parking but it is not fully used. The successful purchase of this land would mean about 120 free car parking spaces, a net gain of about 65 parking spaces over the current usage at peak times.
This purchase along with other measures such as a review of on-street parking, increased parking at the Greensands, reviewing Council car parks and an option of investigating purchasing or leasing privately owned sites means that not only would the 230 spaces lost be replaced, but there could be more spaces available than at present.
There will still be parking on the Whitesands and bus stances would still be here as well. 65% of the possible new parking is less than 2 minutes’ walk away from the Whitesands and more than 80%, is less than 5 minutes’ away, whilst nearly 40% are less than 2 minutes’ away from the High Street, and nearly 90% less than 5 minutes’ away.
Councillors agreed that some of the measures should be progressed irrespective of whether the Whitesands Flood protection schemes goes ahead, including the provision of an extra 75 on street parking spaces and better signposting for existing car parks. A report will come back to committee in January 2015 to update councillors on negotiations and costs.
Cllr Colin Smyth, Chairman of the Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee said
“I am delighted that officers can now investigate these additional parking options. Councillors were very clear that any parking spaces removed on the Whitesands as a result of flood protection measures must be replaced in close proximity. As a result of this decision, not only will more car parking be available but the majority of the new spaces would be in very close proximity to the Whitesands, with 120 free spaces just along from shops and businesses so we can continue to support footfall for traders.
We won’t be waiting until the flood protection scheme begins before creating some of these additional spaces, and agreed that work on the extra on-street parking should begin now. Shops in our town centre are facing more and more competition whether that is online or from out of town developments. One way to support businesses is to increase parking in our town centres and that is exactly what the council is proposing to do. We are continuing to dispel the myths which surround parking and the flood protection scheme and there will be more consultation and public information to ensure local people know the facts surrounding the project rather than the scare stories.”
http://egenda.dumgal.gov.uk/aksdumgal/images/att34964.pdf
