Priory Meadow car park extension plan

The scheme would create an additional floor for parking above the existing top level.

It would also see an entirely new four-level extension built above the service yard beside the existing building.

To accommodate the increased traffic, the plan also includes additional gates which would increase the number of entrances and exits from two to three of each.

Priory Meadow Shopping Centre manager John Hough this week confirmed that a planning application had been submitted to the borough council which would see the car park boost its existing capacity from 800 vehicles to 1,100.

And he said, if given the green light, construction work could start quickly with at least some of the new parking spaces available to drivers by this time next year.

Mr Hough told the Observer: "Clearly, there's a significant pressure on parking during busy periods - Fridays, Saturdays and school holidays - and there's a lot of congestion on South Terrace.

"We're losing customers who can't get in and that's not good for the retailers here or the town generally.

"If they drive past us and head for Eastbourne or Tunbridge Wells, there's a good chance they won't come back," he said.

Mr Hough was unable to comment on the costs of the car park enlargement saying that they were still being finalised.

But he did reveal that the work would represent a 'significant investment' on the part of the landlords, BTW Shields, and thus a substantive vote of confidence in both the centre and its host town.

As far as construction was concerned, he said: "Obviously, it would be timed to cause as little inconvenience as possible."

And he added: "It would take less than a year to construct and, if permission is granted, we could have extra capacity in the car park by the Christmas of next year."

Mr Hough also revealed that 'subject to planning' a scheme was also on the drawing board to redesign the South Terrace entrance to the car park.

He added: "Now we have changed the opening hours so the car park is open until midnight from Monday to Saturday to support the town's evening economy, we want to refresh the South Terrace entrance to make it more pleasant for people coming in and out."

The planning application for enlargement is due before councillors next month.