Not all councillors are happy that the parking across Ashburton’s CBD will be reviewed next year to gauge the impact of the new library and civic centre.

Parking restrictions around the new library and civic centre were approved by the Ashburton District Council this week, as well as a decision to review them, and the rest of the CBD parking, next year.

The wider review is aimed at analysing the impact of the new building on parking in the town centre, compliance and development group manager Jane Donaldson said.

“[Reviewing] all of the CBD just in case there are some unintended consequences depending on where we end up with public car parks and the new building, or whether we ended up with problems on adjacent residential streets.”

Councillor Carolyn Cameron opposed the review taking in the whole CBD after only just making changes during the recent CBD upgrade.

“We have given some assurances and certainties to the businesses in the CBD which are struggling,” Cameron said.

“I think we need to support the businesses in the CBD and keep the parking as it is.

“Any review generally restricts the parking.”

If parking is to be reviewed it made sense to take the opportunity to look at the whole parking picture, argued councillor Russell Ellis.

“I wasn’t thinking of restricting, I was thinking it’s probably more likely we will need more longer term [parking].”

Mayor Neil Brown said the review will deem if parking is satisfactory or if changes need to be made.

There will be a mixture of time-restricted parking around the new library, Te Pātaka o kā Tuhituhi, and civic centre, Te Waharoa a Hine Paaka when it opens later this year.

In front of the building along Baring Square East will be 18 angled parks with five being 30-minute parks and the rest 60 minutes.

The red brick building at 255 Havelock Street will be demolished and will be turned into parking with 10 of those 120-minute parks for the public, as well as a 10-minute and five 120 minutes parks along Havelock Street.

The council will park its fleet behind the Baring Square Methodist Church.

By Jonathan Leask