Multi story carpark for Ballina

Multi-storey carpark for Ballina town


Anna Marie Flynn

BALLINA could be in line for a new five-storey car park – if planners give it the green light.
Last week, Ballina Town Council received a planning application from Amazon Developments, seeking permission to construct a car park on the site formerly known as Western Glass at Barrett Street in the town. The proposal includes demolition of all existing structures on site and, in their place, a construction of a five-storey over basement multi-storey car park measuring almost 4,500 sq metres gross floor area. The plan would provide 104 car parking spaces with one 158 sq metre commercial unit for professional services/retail; over ground floor (99.5 sq metres and a basement (78.5 sq metres) levels.
The proposal is the latest in a long list of plans for the Barrett Street area as part of a multi-million euro rejuvenation project.  The €4.9 million Ballina Theatre and Arts Centre development is now well under way, while the adjacent car park and amenity area is currently under construction.  The street is also home to the town’s newest hotel – due to open its doors before the end of this month – which has seen a complete overhaul of the former Ridgepool Hotel premises.  Barrett Street now also shares a link with Ridgepool Road as the €1 million iconic Salmon Weir pedestrian bridge now links the two areas. Future plans for the area include retail units and, ultimately, a salmon life interpretive centre.
A decision on the latest proposal, the multi-story car park facility, is due to be made by January 4, 2011.