Call to demolish car park 'blighting' city centre

The upper levels of Moorfield car park have been closed following an engineering inspection in May 2024

A council is being urged to demolish a multi-storey city centre car park that remains partially closed due to safety concerns.

Upper sections of Moorfield car park in Truro were closed following an engineering inspection in May 2024, leading to the loss of more than 400 of the 681 spaces available.

Councillor Bert Biscoe, a former mayor of the city, told a Truro City Council meeting the building was blighting the area and having a negative impact on businesses, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Councillor Dan Rogerson, Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for transport, said last week the authority was working on options for the car park, which included its demolition.

Biscoe said the state of car parking in the city centre was causing problems for traders and a solution was needed, even if it meant knocking it down.

"We really need to press Cornwall Council to get on with it, because the longer it's left, the more stress is going to be suffered by quite key businesses, to the detriment of the confidence and sustainability of this town," he told councillors.

"I'd very much like to know how much closer we are to getting the thing down before it kills the town off."

Motorists can still use the ground floor and outside areas at Moorfield car park

Councillor Steven Webb, another former mayor of the city, urged caution.

"The way forward is to keep them informed and not make any rash decisions," he said.

Rogerson said the important thing was to get as much parking on the Moorfield site as possible.

"The sensible thing to do is to take it down, which will have a cost to it, so we'd have to get that in the capital programme, then it will release more car parking there," he said.