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Search forBILLERICAY: £25M multi-storey car park plan
Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 07:00
The blueprints, drawn up by a consortium of local businessmen and women, also include plans for 70 flats, a 60-room hotel and around 10 new shops at the train station car park in Radford Way.
But the syndicate of business leaders, led by Trevor Draper, is yet to make an official approach to Network Rail, which owns the existing 372-space car park, and admit the plans are in the early stages.
Mr Draper, who owns the Billericay Cookshop and Emporium, told the Gazette: "Ever since opening my shops in Billericay it's been clear the town has a desperate shortage of available car parking.
"For a town to be able to expand, and I mean bringing people in from surrounding towns to shop or enjoy the historical presence of the town, we need to secure more car parking.
"Without the ability to expand we will die as a town."
Mr Draper, in his role as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, has also sparked a separate investigation into a new town centre car park by Basildon council after writing with concern over imminent changes to the residential parking system.
A consultation of some 6,000 homes earlier this year has resulted in one-hour parking restrictions being earmarked for roads.
This was after residents complained of selfish commuters abusing streets within walking distance of the station, parents clogging up roads during the school run and workers looking to avoid town centre car parking charges.
Phase two of the consultation is now underway.
But Mr Draper said: "It's only fair that people in residential streets should be able to park outside their own homes but there needs to be something to replace the spaces we're losing.
"Otherwise it will impact on shoppers, existing workers and traders, and we can't take any more at this abysmal time of trading.
"As local businessmen and women all we want is for the town to grow and flourish in the future."
The consortium has also identified an unnamed site that could be used for commuter parking during the development of any multi-storey car park.
Cllr Stephen Horgan, Basildon council's cabinet member for regeneration and green issues, revealed he was putting together a regeneration plan for Billericay on the back of discussions with the chamber – centring on providing better parking facilities to improve High Street trade.
He said: "Billericay is very successful and vibrant but we have to look and say 'what are the problems here?'
"There is clearly a problem with parking in the centre of Billericay and there have been some discussions about introducing a multi-storey car park but it is still at an early stage.
"We are drawing up the regeneration brief at the moment but whatever happens there will be a full consultation with the public.
"It's just a case of looking at one or two areas and seeing what can be done."
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