The design of a new 380 space multi-storey car park in Canterbury has today been revealed by the city council.

It will be built on the existing council Station Road West car park which currently offers 129 parking places and is full most days.

The scheme has today been put out to public consultation by the city council which is inviting comments on the proposal.

The building includes eight small shop units along its frontage and a new walk way and tree planting scheme to replace the existing horse chestnuts which will have to come out.

The open top, two-storey car park, which has three levels, will also feature the latest automatic number plate recognition system which is already proving efficient for users in other council car parks.

The scheme will involve the loss of the existing on-street parking bays, but the council is considering having free 20 minute bays in the new multi-storey, as well as long stay priced parking on the top level.

Cllr Ben Fitter-Harding, who chairs the council’s regeneration and property committee, said: "It’s the right place to build it because of the success of the High Speed rail service and the growing popularity of St Dunstan’s with shoppers and visitors."

The council’s transport and environment manager Richard Moore added that creating a multi-storey car park in a conservation area had presented certain challenges and the brief had been to minimise the impact on the surroundings with the building clad in a timber style material.

He added: "As a major gateway into the city for tourists and visitors, it is important to make the pedestrian route from the station into the city centre as attractive as possible."

He said the council had budgeted £5 million for the building but the exact cost would only be determined when the design was approved.

The authority is inviting comments on the design of the new multi-storey and is also holding consultation events at the Guildhall in the city from 2pm to 6pm on Friday, June 23 and between midday and 4pm the following day.

The council expects to submit a planning application in August with the eight-month construction starting early next year.

During the building work, users will be diverted to a 111 space temporary car park created in January further along Station Road West.

To see the plans and comment go to www.canterbury.gov.uk/stationroadwest.