Drive to build new car park at West End underground

AN underground car park would be built below Charlotte Square under plans being considered by council chiefs.

The Evening News has learned that the ambitious proposal is part of a wider bid to revamp the city's West End.

Drawn-out plans for an underground car park in Chambers Street have stalled amid confusion over who owns the land and it is understood that it could be up to a year before lawyers sort it out.

In the meantime, officials have been scouting the Capital for other suitable locations, with Charlotte Square favoured by city leaders.

The car park, which is likely to be built and operated by a private contractor, would see vehicles lowered underground and parked automatically.

The scheme would be likely to involve the temporary relocation of the city's Book Festival for at least one year.

Many in the City Chambers would see the project as an opportunity to replicate the success of the recently-opened St Andrew Square gardens in the city's West End by opening the Charlotte Square gates to the public.

The car park is being considered in conjunction with proposals to transform the first block of buildings on Princes Street where House of Fraser is located.

A council source told the News: "Parking around Charlotte Square is an issue that needs to be addressed and this would tie in with the plans for redeveloping the Frasers block.

"There is a concern the St James development might create an imbalance towards the East End and we want to address that."

Michael Apter, chairman of the nearby West End Traders Association, said: "I would be all for this idea, it is the perfect solution to our parking problems in the West End.

I think this would go some way to counterbalance the impact that the new St James Centre will have

."

The £4.5 million scheme to build an underground car park on Chambers Street in front of the Royal Museum was first mooted in 2005. The existing 89 parking bays would be replaced by 100 underground spaces built on either side of the William Chambers statue and around a dozen firms have expressed an interest. Bruce Young, Lothian and Borders co-ordinator of the Association of British Drivers, said: "This would make a lot of sense, Charlotte Square is a lot more central than Chambers Street and it is in the heart of the city centre where these spaces are needed.

"What we really need is an increase in off-street spaces in Edinburgh and this would begin to address this issue, as well as free up on-street spaces for more short-term stays."