Gloucester car park set to reopen following six-month closure
Businesses and shoppers have welcomed the move to partially reopen the multi-storey facility.
A city centre car park in Gloucestershire which was closed due to safety concerns is set to partially reopen.
Gloucester City Council shut the multi-story facility in Longsmith Street last September following structural worries.
The council says repairs will begin next week - and should be finished in nine weeks, in time for summer.
Council chiefs have agreed to a £220,000 repair plan and the site has been earmarked for a full redevelopment as part of the new regeneration plan of The Fleece Hotel in Westgate Street.
Businesses and shoppers have welcomed the move.
Speaking to ITV West Country, one business owner said: "It's good news.
"As a local business here in the city centre, we've had lots of problems in the last few months where people couldn't find parking spaces, obviously."
One shopper said: "It's really hard to find anywhere to park in Gloucester. We tend to walk in now because we can't park."
Another added: "Really with that closed, everyone else is just trying to get into everywhere else.
One parent said: "It would be a good idea if they put parent and child spaces in there."
Finance leaders at Gloucester City Council have said it makes business sense to repair and reopen part of the site with a reconfigured layout.
Deputy leader and performance and resources cabinet member Hannah Norman, said: “Our intention is to start some repair work on Longsmith Street next week.
"The provisional date is for work to start on Tuesday 19 March. The programme of works will take nine weeks and we are looking for some of the spaces to be available in time for the summer.
“The upper floors will be securely blocked off both from a vehicle and pedestrian access for safety and to prevent anti-social behaviour.
“The phasing of works means if a new administration wants to repair the entirety of the car park they will be able to moving forward.
"We felt it was prudent to do this initial investment in light of what is going to potentially happen at the Fleece."
Cllr Norman said even though only around 135 spaces of the 300 at Longsmith Street will be opened after the repairs, the city will still have a net gain in car park places because of a new car park at The Forum.
This will bring 400 additional spaces and is expected to open by the end of 2024.