New car park divides Ashburton councillors

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

The extension of car parking facilities along West St in Ashburton has divided councillors.

The Ashburton District Council has approved progressing with plans for an extension of the West St car park to the north on land owned by KiwiRail.

The decision split the councillors, with five votes for and four against- wit the matter was discussed in public excluded in April and released publicly in May.

Councillors Carolyn Cameron and Russell Ellis had their votes against the new car park progressing recorded.

Cameron believes it isn’t necessary at the moment.

“I don’t believe we fully understand the parking demands in the CBD."

A parking review completed two years ago suggested there was ample parking available in the CBD, she said, so there was no reason to go and pave over another area unnecessarily.

The CBD is currently going through changes, with businesses coming and going and satellite retail centres on the CBD fringes expanding, she said.

“I think we could have waited to see how it pans out.”

There is also the push to increase the number of people walking and cycling, Cameron said.

The development of the car park is subject to agreeing lease terms with KiwiRail.

The council approved carrying over the unspent $1.5 million from the 2021-22 budget into the 2022-23 year to contribute towards the design and construction of the car park.

With the 2022-23 year almost at an end and no lease agreement in place, the project will get carried over again to the 2023-24 year.

Responding to speculation in the community that the new car park would serve as a council staff car park, to correspond with the move to the new library and civic centre later this year, chief executive Hamish Riach was adamant it is a public car park.

“It will be a public car park, just like the existing West St car park, and anyone can use it, including [council] staff.

“It will also increase the CBD’s parking stocks and include parks for longer vehicles like motorhomes.”

The provision of all day or time-restricted car parks would be finalised in the designs and be subject to obtaining resource consent and agreeing lease terms with KiwiRail, Riach said.

The new library Te Pātaka a kā Tuhituhi and civic centre Te Waharoa a Hine Paaka will have ample car parking for the council fleet, councillors and group managers he said, as well as some parking for the public.

The current West St car park has 144 all day spaces and 84 time restricted (3 hour) spaces.