The future plans for the proposed multi-storey car park that the council hopes to build in the area bounded by Edward, Queen and King streets will be revealed today.

The council has called a press conference for 11am, at which time it is expected to reveal its latest plan for the CBD site.

The need to provide more car parking in the Bendigo CBD has dogged successive councils for the past five years.

Plans to establish a car park on nearby land next to the Rivers Hargreaves Street site were abandoned by the previous council in 2007.

The Bendigo Advertiser understands the Edwards Street car park to be unveiled today will feature more spaces for the public than had previously been stated, including the addition of rooftop parking under shade sails.

Entry and exit points will be from Queen Street, with a major study of traffic flow in the surrounding streets initiated to help determine how to best manage the expected increase in vehicle numbers.

The development is also expected to include some commercial tenants, including retail outlets, to attract additional revenue.

Owners of nearby properties have been briefed by the council as part of the community consultation process ahead of the lodgement of the development application.

The council voted to allocate $2.2 million in the 2010-11 budget for the investigation and early construction of the car park.

Bendigo Traders Association spokesman Jock Clark said it wasn’t definite that the plan would go ahead.

“We need to keep an open mind until we know the details... this is just a process we need to go through to get to the next step,” he said.

“Our position in the past has been that it would be better to develop the nine existing sites throughout the CBD.

“Let’s be honest – a multi-storey car park at one end of town does nothing for the other end.

‘‘We need to be extremely careful we don’t end up with another Hargreaves Mall or Walk Bendigo.”

Mr Clark said the BTA would meet the council next week to discuss the car park.

Editorial – Page 10