Havant car park which is a hotbed of antisocial behaviour will be demolished

As well as being described as an “active antisocial behaviour site”, the 390-multi-storey Bulbeck Road car park has a low car park usage and will cost more to maintain and repair than it generates in parking charges. At Wednesday’s (January 24) extraordinary cabinet meeting, council leader Coun Alex Rennie (Conservative, Bondfields) said that Bulbeck sees less than 100 cars a day.

On top of 58 antisocial behaviour incidents which have been reported by police, a further 50 went unreported, said Coun Rennie. He said incidents include youths damaging doors and cars; graffiti, some of which has been abusive and racist in stairwells; incidents of people in crisis situations; drug taking in stairwells; stone being thrown at people; and abusive situations.

Councillor for Emsworth, Lulu Bowerman (Conservative) raised concerns about disposing of the rubble in an environmentally friendly way and the dust levels that would be created when the car park is demolished. She said: “There will be a lot of dust coming up when it comes down. It’s quite a bulky building when it comes down with brickwork and dust.”

WATCH: Demolition work begins at Osborn Road multi storey car park in Fareham

Wayne Layton, the council’s executive head of regeneration, economic development and preventative services said a well-known firm had been engaged who had also done work taking down two council towers in Portsmouth. He said the rubble could be used to raise the site level as there are flood issues and, as for dealing with the dust, that would be part of any report to the council from any potential contractor.

The soon-to-be-demolished car park earns £77,000 a year, but after deducting running costs, it only leaves £30,000 for the council purse. If the car park were kept, the council estimates it would cost in the region of £335,000 over the next five years to maintain and repair as lifts and lights also need replacing. Seven residents and several businesses currently have parking permits at the car park and the council said it will be discussing alternative car parking with them.

The Bulbeck Road car park will make way for new homes with a £1.6 million grant that was won by the council from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Community (DLUHC). The council had five options to consider on what to do with the car park including not demolishing it, building for sale or rent, or affordable housing or ‘later living’. The leader said the council is already talking to agents and hopes to appoint one by January 31 to start the process of appointing a developer by April. The notices for planning permission being sought for demolition are already up around the site.