Councillor Russell Fitzpatrick has asked Bega Valley Shire Council to investigate development options for a possible tiered car park in the Palmer Street, Merimbula area at the council meeting on August 20.
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Cr Fitzpatrick said: “With the council about to start work on the Merimbula bypass now is the time to look at other development options such as building a tiered car park where the current unsealed parking takes place behind the shops and motels.”
He said the the bypass would open up the whole of the Palmer Street area and that these types of projects should be investigated.
Cr Fitzpatrick would like to see a car park in two levels with a flat roof which would provide a further surface for building shops or offices. He believes that if council funds the car park, the costs will be returned by the upper level offices.
“I want council to indicate what the cost would be and what the value of the office space would be,” he said.
In particular Cr Fitzpatrick asked council to report on:
* Costing the development
* Number of possible car parking spaces
* Pedestrian connection/access to Market Street
* Possible retail/commercial opportunities for sale of top level air space for development
* Possible joint venture development.
In response, council’s group manager strategy and business services, Lucas Scarpin, advised that council had sought expressions of interest with regard to development opportunities and potential for a number of council owned sites in Merimbula.
He said that the work has been deferred pending finalisation of the Merimbula CBD by-pass. However Cr Fitzpatrick believes it is better to start the process before finalisation of the by-pass.