New parking plan for Chichester district could see major changes to city centre carparks and creation of an events space

The strategy was approved by Chichester District Council’s Cabinet at their meeting on Tuesday 6 December and covers plans and ambitions for the next four years. The draft strategy was considered earlier in the autumn by Chichester District Parking Forum, which consists of representatives from businesses, residents and community groups.

Research commissioned compared data for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, using a variety of information including transactions from pay display machines and through the MiPermit phone app; season ticket sales; and, entry and exit date from the barrier at the Avenue de Chartres multi-storey car park in Chichester.

Chichester District Council own and manage 31 car parks across the district, offering a maximum of 5,942 car parking spaces. Based on current forecasts, it is anticipated that no additional spaces will be required. However, due to the fast-changing pace of the economy, the space requirements will be kept under annual review.

The strategy includes an action plan that details a variety of projects. Key schemes include:

• Consideration of the release of around 120 car parking spaces in Chichester’s Cattle Market car park to create a permanent market / events space.• Introducing additional electric vehicle charging bays in car parks.• Carrying out a feasibility study for redesigning Northgate car park in Chichester to help improve its connection to the city centre and surrounding visitor attractions.• Carrying out a feasibility study of options for Bosham car park to help improve layout, traffic flow and make it a more welcoming area.• Reviewing parking payment options across all the district’s car parks to ensure they reflect customer needs and the latest technology.

“We wanted to review parking demands, particularly as a result of the pandemic, so that we can ensure our parking facilities continue to meet the needs of residents, visitors and workers,” says Councillor Tony Dignum, Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration at Chichester District Council.

“There has been an increase in home working which led to us responding to customer feedback about introducing a part-time season ticket which has now been in place since 2021. This is combined with employers reviewing their office space needs. There has also been an increase in people shopping online and so not needing to park as frequently as before.

“Private car continues to be the most common method of transport in the district and so we need to make sure that demand is met during peak times and seasons so that we can meet everyone’s needs. Although we recognise that the car will still be the primary form of transport, as a council we will continue to encourage people to shift to other forms of transport and consider greener vehicles, which is part of our commitment to carbon reduction across the district.

“The aim of this new strategy is to ensure that we continue to make the best use of our car parks, reflecting working and shopping habits, while also supporting the community and local businesses, as well as up keeping up with new trends in technology, and customer needs. We know that further changes could occur over the next few years and so the strategy remains flexible in order to incorporate these.”

Once agreed, the new Parking Strategy will be available on Chichester District Council’s website.

For more information about the council’s car parks and parking services, including the MiPermit app, people should visit: www.chichester.gov.uk/parking