Car park 'new era' for town centre, council says
BBCA new 472-space multi-storey car park is due to open in a Staffordshire town this week.
The Castle Car Park in Newcastle-under-Lyme has been built as a replacement for the town's Midway Car Park, which council bosses said would be redeveloped to become a "contemporary urban neighbourhood" comprising over 100 apartments.
The new car park will be open 24/7 and is based on the Ryecroft site on Liverpool Road, half a mile from the old car park.
It includes 19 spaces for motorcycles and 39 electric vehicle charging points. Other features include automated main doors, energy-efficient lighting, 11 disability spaces and lifts and ramps to enable accessibility.
Motorists will enter and exit the car park via the A52 – coming from the Jubilee2 roundabout initially – or Church Street.
When leaving via the Church Street route, people will first turn into Corporation Street, followed by Merrial Street.
Councillor Stephen Sweeney said the new car park was clean, modern, safe, well lit and would be a major upgrade from the Midway facility.
"This is more than just a car park; it's a vital addition to help secure Newcastle town centre's future sustainability as a thriving place for everyone," he said.
"Providing enhanced infrastructure like this underpins the council's current regeneration, which will draw different groups of people into the area."
The project forms part of a wider £30m redevelopment of the Ryecroft site, as well as nearby Astley Place and the old Midway car park, funded by the government's Town Deals Fund and Future High Streets Fund.
New affordable housing is planned for the remaining section of Ryecroft, and work has started to remodel Astley Place into housing and retail space, the council said.
The Midway Car Park will close at 19:00 GMT on Thursday and the Castle Car Park will open at 07:00 on Friday.
The Ryecroft surface car park will close at 06:00 on Friday.
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