Four city centre car parks have been put up for sale by the council – and are primed to become housing.

The sites in Canterbury include the former temporary car park in Station Road West, along with Rosemary Lane car park, St John's Lane business user car park and a small part of Longport car park fronting Ivy Lane.

The cash-strapped city council says selling the sites will help it "improve [its] financial position while ensuring investment and economic opportunity in the district".

All four parcels of land are earmarked for housing in the authority's current Local Plan, and between them could provide space for about 55 new homes.

The large Rosemary Lane car park has been shut since 2020.

Meanwhile, business user spaces in St John’s Lane will be reallocated in other city centre car parks.

Approval to dispose of the four sites has already been granted by councillors at previous committee meetings.

The Local Plan sets out the planning constraints for each site that any future planning application would have to consider.

At Ivy Lane, a set of development principles that were established in March 2012 are still considered relevant, which include respecting and re-establishing the existing building line and being a car-free development due to the availability of public car parking.

Lead councillor for property Cllr Barbara Flack said: "Selling assets such as land and property that are not contributing to our economy or other priorities, and then reinvesting the money this generates with a focus on redevelopment and regeneration, is a key priority for us in our Corporate Plan.

"The disposal of these four car parks, which is in line with our current parking strategy, will allow us to improve our financial position while ensuring investment and economic opportunity in the district.

"We expect there to be a lot of interest and look forward to evaluating the offers we receive in due course."

"In particular, it will provide land for much-needed new homes in prime city centre locations.

"We expect there to be a lot of interest and look forward to evaluating the offers we receive in due course."

All four sites are being marketed on the council's behalf by RPC Land and New Homes.

Those interested in buying the land can put forward offers on a conditional basis - subject to planning permission - or an unconditional basis - subject to contract - and bids can cover individual sites or multiple.

Those interested should email the agent Graeme Dowd at g.dowd@rpcland.co.uk.