Nottingham’s notorious Broadmarsh car park will be knocked down by Christmas after the city council finally decided it should be demolished and re-built.
After months of planning, the authority said last week it wanted to get rid of the 1970s structure, instead of refurbishing it.
And the council’s executive board officially sealed its fate on Thursday afternoon (June 1), after hearing knocking it down and starting again would be cheaper in the long-term for taxpayers.
The car park and bus station will close on July 10, and demolition will start almost immediately to be finished by the end of the year.
And a city resident will be given the opportunity to take the first sledge-hammer swing at the car park – the honour will be given to the winner of a social media competition.
Work will start on the new car park straight afterwards, with plans for the final design of the new building drawn up later in the summer.
The decision paves the way for the regeneration of the southern side of Nottingham city centre, with the Broadmarsh shopping centre also due to be redeveloped by owners Intu.
Approving the move, council leader Jon Collins said: “This is only the first part of what is going to be a very significant redevelopment, and it has been a long time coming, but once we’ve made this decision, it’s the first step in an overall scheme that will see the south side of Nottingham redeveloped.”
He added: “It’s not going to be easy – there will be traffic disruption, people who want to come into the city centre will see an impact.
“We’re taking a big car park out and we’re providing a new one but that will be different.
“There are three lanes around the building and there will be one lane lost because you can’t demolish a building that size without needing extra space.”
Video: Council Leader Jon Collins says any disruption will be worth it to regenerate the area
An alternative car park and spaces for buses will be provided close by in the city centre while the work is being done.
Some spaces will be provided on vacant land beneath the tram lines off Canal Street, which will eventually become a new college after the rebuild, with more spaces at the Sheriff’s Lodge car park, also off Canal Street.
Bus stops and waiting points which are inside the bus station will be provided on Collin Street and other streets in the area.
The current car park is costing the council tens of thousands of pounds in ongoing maintenance work to patch its ageing concrete facade.
Cllr Collins said the demolition and cost of the new car park, around £35-£40 million, would not lead to an increase in council tax bills or mean money would be taken form other projects.
Instead a mixture of grants and revenue from car parking will cover the cost, he added.
Councillor Nick McDonald, the council’s cabinet member for growth, said: “It’s the biggest regeneration scheme in Nottingham in a generation.
“When you talk to people around the city some actually don’t believe it’s happening. People have been waiting so long they say ‘ok we’ll wait and see’ – but it’s happening.”
As part of the council’s wider investment in the Broadmarsh area, streets around the car park are being pedestrianised to create a more attractive entrance to the city centre from Nottingham Station.
Intu has already drawn up plans to spend £100 million redeveloping the shopping centre, which are expected to move forward later this year.
Work to change the road network around the area has already started.
More information about the plans is available on a dedicated website set up by the council.
