COUNCILLORS are due to consider spending almost �500,000 on refurbishing a multi-storey car park when they meet on Wednesday night. Members of the North Herts District Council s Letchworth Area Committee are due to consider the plan after debating th

COUNCILLORS are due to consider spending almost �500,000 on refurbishing a multi-storey car park when they met last night (Wednesday).

Members of the North Herts District Council's Letchworth Area Committee were due to consider the plan after debating the five-page report concerning the car park in the town centre.

The report says the car park is a 1970s-style reinforced concrete structure but while it is essential sound it is glooming because of the low ceilings and has reduced natural light on its lower decks.

Spaces for parking are also tightly restrained by the presence of internal columns and, in certain parts, segregation between pedestrian walkways and vehicle routes is relatively poor.

The car park, which underwent substantial refurbishment a decade ago at a cost of over �290,000 to preserve the weather integrity of its two open decks and to improve its internal appearance which was considered too gloomy and off-putting to customers, has 399 parking spaces on nine and a half decks.

The report councillors will consider says 'the importance of providing good quality and reasonably priced parking is way of helping to maintain the prosperity and successful economic development of the district's town has been recognised by members for many years. It is therefore assumed it would help to make it the car park of first choice thereby making it a valuable contribution to the viability and vitality of the town centre and the adjoining shopping precinct.'

A list of work to refurbish the multi-storey car park has been drawn up and so far the cost is �456,350