Tamworth businesses owners concerned about lack of CBD parking as council searches for more space

Following council-conducted meetings with business owners in the city centre, that lack of available parking has rung alarm bells for future development.

Tamworth Regional Council director liveable communities Gina Vereker, said more "safe and accessible" parking was needed to meet the needs of a growing population.

"We're growing, but we've still got a restricted CBD area," she said.

"We're expanding up, but we don't want to expand out.

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"That means there's not additional space on the ground to put parking."

For development applications to be approved a certain number of car parks must be included, depending on the size of the development.

More carparking is required to be added if the development expands.

But Ms Vereker said business don't want to spend money on parking they can't "physically fit" on their property.

"It's a challenge for everyone with a growing city."

The old cinema on Brisbane Street has sat vacant for years.

Ms Vereker said developers had shown interest in the site but were not able to make their investment financially stack up due to the lack of parking options.

Council will soon seek expressions of interest for a traffic consultant to review CBD parking and determine exactly how much is needed.

An underground car park on Kable Avenue has already been written off by council due to the proximity to the Peel River.

"You would be forever pumping out that water from the basement parking, which is not a great option," Ms Vereker said.

But a multi-storey car park could be a solution which would be partly funded by CBD businesses.

Ms Vereker said businesses can make a contribution to a carparking fund, which is used to upgrade existing carparking and sets money aside for a multi-storey development.

"That's something council will look more seriously at over the next three to five years," she said.

Despite the demand for more carparking, Ms Vereker said as the city edges closer to 100,000 people residents need to accept the perfect parking spot will be harder to come by.

"There needs to be a balance between being able to park out the front of the shop you're trying to go into compared to walking a little," she said.

"I don't think we've got that balance.

"We still expect that no matter where we are going we're going to get a park right there."

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