Latest on 'major investment' to replace Merton Meadow

Merton Meadow car park was full as Hereford played King's Lynn last season but it is now becoming a wetland

Herefordshire Council is moving ahead with plans for a new multi-storey car park as it looks to build on Merton Meadow.

The large car park next to Edgar Street has long been eyed for development, with the latest plans for 400 homes. That is being made possible by the current work to build a flood alleviation scheme on the lower section of the car park, which closed in October.

But the £2million project is behind schedule after being delayed due to the wet winter, which also hit Hereford FC hard as its pitch struggled to cope. Conservative council leader Jonathan Lester previously said he hoped the project would be finished by the end of 2025.

As part of a new parking strategy for the next 15 years, Herefordshire Council said it was "progressing plans for a new multi-storey car park in the city as part of wider transport changes".

The new multi-storey, earmarked for the current Country Bus Station off Commercial Road, would "replace parking capacity expected to be lost as parts of Merton Meadows are redeveloped", the plan said.

It would also "support hospital staff, patients and visitors by providing dedicated spaces" and "strengthen access to the railway station, Transport Hub and city centre", with work currently ongoing to build the new hub outside the railway station.

Finally, the plan said the new car park would "improve parking availability for commuters and contractors".

"This major infrastructure investment will ensure that Hereford retains appropriate parking capacity during redevelopment phases, supports economic resilience, and provides a reliable supply of spaces for workers, visitors and businesses," the council added.

As previously reported by Bulls News, the closure of the 650-space car park, which earns Herefordshire Council £2,512.08 a day on average, would push parking in the city to its limits.

Consultants PJA, commissioned by the council to draw up a report, estimated that up to 490 cars could be displaced on a busy Saturday if Merton Meadow closes. Around 193 permit holders, many of them NHS staff, also currently use the site.

The modelling suggests some of that demand could be absorbed by Maylord Orchards and the Garrick multi-storey, which have spare capacity during the week. But on Saturdays, especially in December, the report warns that “all car parks with the exception of St Martins 2 and Wye Street would be expected to operate at the 90% capacity cap” once Merton Meadow is gone.

The 93-space St Martins 2 and 74-space Wye Street car parks are a mile from Edgar Street, near Hereford Leisure Pool south of the River Wye.

The report was blunt about the tipping point: “Once car parks hit 90% capacity, drivers begin to struggle to find spaces,” with queues at entrances and “excessive circulation” on surrounding roads. December is forecast to be especially difficult, with demand exceeding total capacity between 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

HUST chairman Richard Tomkins had expressed his concern about parking being lost, especially as only 50 per cent of fans live in the city, but the football club have remained tight-lipped publicly over the plans.