THE NSW government will prepare a city parking strategy for Newcastle, as drivers face losing 800 car spaces to development in the Honeysuckle precinct.
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The 252 spaces at Lee Wharf are likely to go first, with the Hunter Development Corporation close to selling the site of the public car park to a developer.
Another 370 spaces near Throsby Creek will be swallowed by the forecast development of land at Cottage Creek and Throsby Wharf.
And last month’s start of talks between the government and the University of Newcastle about developing three sites on Wright Lane suggest the days of its 180 spaces are numbered.
But the government says it is working with its Honeysuckle overseer the Hunter Development Corporation and its developer, UrbanGrowth NSW, and Newcastle council on a city-wide parking strategy.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the strategy will consider the current parking in the Newcastle city centre, including zonings, availability and accessibility.
It will also ask what kind of parking is needed and where, the potential for “park and ride” facilities around public transport, and the demand for parking in the future.
“The parking strategy will take into account the broad program of work underway to help Newcastle reach its potential as an activated and vibrant city,” the Transport spokesperson said.
“This program of work includes the delivery of light rail, activation and renewal activities, and a new transport interchange at Wickham.”
But public transport activist Darrell Harris said the quality of the city’s public transport wouldn’t offset the loss of so many parking spaces.
“If you make it harder to get into the CBD, given the choice, people won’t,” Mr Harris said.
“[The government] are going to make it harder and more expensive to get there by train and bus, and more difficult by car.”
Hunter Development Corporation spokesman Luke Mellare said the Lee Wharf car park was opened in 2011 with an intended five-year lifespan to fit in with the continuing development at Honeysuckle.
The truncation of the rail line has left Newcastle a “more permeable” city centre, he said, that calls for a city-wide parking strategy.
“You can’t look at parking in Honeysuckle in isolation from the city centre as much as you perhaps could have in the past,” Mr Mellare said.
“It’s worth asking if parking is the best use of the city’s premium harbourside land, with empty cars enjoying that amenity rather than people.”
The Newcastle City Council area has 4100 street car spaces and 4900 off-street spaces, of which 1030 are managed by the council.
