PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council is yet to receive a guarantee from the state government that all 219 Plaza car parking spaces will be retained with any future development of the site.
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Council wrote to Minister for Primary Industries and Minister for Lands and Water Niall Blair on July 23 stating its position on the proposed sale and development of the Plaza car park site, including the former Food for Less building, to Woolworths.
Council expressed concerns that despite 20 expressions of interest in the site, including its own submission, the state government agreed to continue direct negotiations with Woolworths.
Council also reinforced its strong objection to the sale of the site, given freely to the Crown for the purpose of public car parking.
Director of development and environment Matt Rogers has asked for a legal guarantee from Mr Blair, in light of considerable community concern, that Crown Lands protect all existing car parking spaces despite any additional parking that may be generated as a part of any future development of the land.
“The Plaza car park provides a significant number of medium and long-term car parking spaces for workers and users of the Port Macquarie town centre,” Mr Rogers said.
“Given the limited parking serving the town centre, any loss of spaces would have a significant impact on our community and visitors. It is expected that there would be a direct adverse economic impact associated with the loss of access to the town centre.
“The council does not have the ability to enforce a requirement on a developer to retain the existing car parking spaces in addition to providing the car parking required by redevelopment.
“Any redevelopment of the land poses a real risk to this community associated with the loss of public car parking, a fundamental community asset.”
Cr Geoff Hawkins said the Minister has publicly stated any redevelopment of the site would have a direct positive impact on the local economy.
“In saying this, he is diametrically opposed to our letter,” Cr Hawkins said.
Cr Lisa Intemann said council’s attempts to continue the conversation with the state government on the issue of car parking at the Plaza site has yet to produce any answers.