Cash-strapped Cheshire East Council is considering selling off part of two Macclesfield town centre car parks for housing.
A report to this week’s meeting of the council’s Economy and Growth Committee said that the long-stay car parks at Churchill Way and Duke Street were under-used.
Churchill Way would be reduced from the existing 276 spaces to 123 and Duke Street from 275 to 105, meaning a total loss of 323 parking spaces (writes local democracy reporter Belinda Ryan).
The report referred to a recent feasibility study and said: “The study indicated that partial release of both car parks should not result in significant negative impacts.”
It said the potential benefits of redevelopment of under-utilised car parks in Macclesfield town centre included new homes supporting housing needs, including potential for specialist housing; increased population living in the town centre, spending money locally to support the vitality and viability of town centre businesses including the evening economy; attracting investment in construction and increased council tax receipts.
The plan would also release funds to invest in other improvements such as greening or improving pedestrian priority.
The report said: “It is clearly important to ensure adequate parking is retained to support the needs of residents, visitors, and businesses, to avoid undermining town centre vitality and residential amenity.”
Tuesday’s meeting was also to ask councillors to delegate authority to the executive director of place to explore and select the most appropriate form of housing redevelopment.
