A planning application for a new 27-space carpark in George Town has come up against opposition from the Department of Environment for its “poor use of land”.
Cricket Square Ltd has requested approval to pave an area along Whitman Seymour Road to allow drivers to have more options for parking.
The Central Planning Authority, in the agenda for its upcoming 16 Aug. meeting, recommended members grant planning permission for the $50,000 project on that date.
However, Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director of the Department of Environment, has objected, saying creating a parking lot is not the best use of the 20,000 square foot plot.
“The site is man-modified and of limited ecological value,” she wrote. “That said, the DoE considers the conversion of large areas of land to paved parking to be poor use of land.”
Ebanks-Petrie explained that it is the government’s intention through the George Town Revitalisation plan to improve walkability and accessibility in central George Town.
“Large paved areas can discourage walking and decrease the vibrancy and liveliness of streetscapes,” she said in her submitted comments in the meeting agenda.
The environment director added that it could also contribute to issues such as greenhouse gas emissions.
She explained that large paved areas can contribute to the ‘heat island effect’, raising local temperatures and leading to increased energy consumption to meet cooling demand.
In addition, the impermeability of typical paving materials increases the storm water drainage demand for not only the site, but also the surrounding area, she explained.
Ebanks-Petrie urged the applicant to consider incorporating sustainable design features into their plan.
This may help mitigate some of the environmental impacts associated with traditional single-level parking lots, she said.
She recommended integrating renewable energy sources, such as solar panels over the parking lot, to help offset the increased cooling demand from the additional paved area.
This may also improve the use of the land by adding other beneficial functions such as renewable electricity and shading, she concluded.
Parking in George Town has long been a problem for those working and visiting shops and restaurants in the area due to the lack of spaces.
In March, the planning authority approved $500,000 plans to add three-storey mechanical lifts to a private carpark on Genesis Close in George Town, creating 123 parking spaces.
In the meeting’s minutes, it said the parking lifts will “ensure there is adequate parking for the existing commercial use of the site”.
This will help in reducing the potential for overflow parking onto adjacent roads and nearby properties, “thus improving this commercial area in central George Town”, it said.
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