Car park hit by vandalism in £2.5m rescue plan

A council is looking to borrow £2.5m to restore a multi-storey car park that has been vandalised and covered with graffiti.

Exeter City Council said there had been a "sustained campaign" of anti-social behaviour at the Cathedral and Quay car park and there were "significant" safety concerns over issues such as rough sleeping, drug use and bonfires.

According to a council report, the situation has been worsened by the closure of the upper decks of the car park in 2020 due to concerns about structural defects.

The council wants to borrow cash to refurbish the site and hand the management of the car park over to an external operator.

In a report being considered by councillors on Tuesday, the council said outsourcing the management of the site would "enable it to re-establish itself as a premier multi-storey car park for the city".

The report said the "costly and persistent anti-social behaviour which has established itself at the car park" would be dealt with by CCTV, "passive surveillance" from car park users and a new operator.

Council officers said the £2.5m debt would cost the council £160,000 a year but could "generate around £500,000 additional income".

The 355-space car park was built in the late 1980s and borders the historic Roman city wall to the east of the site.

The report said the council decision in 2020 to close the upper decks due to "concerns regarding the structural rigidity" appeared to have "accelerated" the site's decline.

It said: "The closure of these decks, together with the lack of suitable management/security measures and lower levels of passive surveillance, has led to a sustained campaign of opportunistic anti-social behaviour against Cathedral and Quay."

The report said the upper decks of the car park had "been recently confirmed as being structurally sound" but "localised concrete repairs" would be needed before reopening.

The issue is due to be discussed at a full council meeting of Exeter City Council on Tuesday.

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