Extended deadline for Kingscliff Central Park forum

The online community forum for the Kingscliff Central Park concept plans will be extended for another fortnight to allow further investigation of a proposal for more car parking in the town's centre.

Existing forum comments demanding additional car parking – and the emergence of a possible avenue for regional development funding - has prompted Council to give greater consideration of a proposal to create a partially underground car park as part of the Central Park.

The proposed facility would create up to 100 additional parking spaces at the Central Park site, while addressing opposition expressed by many community members to allocating more of the Kingscliff foreshore to car parking.

"The partially underground car park provides a clever solution to the conflicting demands of additional parking while protecting foreshore parkland – and had been earmarked for possible later inclusion once funds became available," the Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Kevin Skinner, said.

"However, the current program of community engagement has reaffirmed the community's demand for more parking along that section of Marine Parade. At the same time, Council will consider nominating Kingscliff Central Park as its top priority for funding through the Regional Development Australia Fund.

"The Central Park project is Council's best opportunity to take advantage of those Federal funds and enables Council to include the car park as part of the initial central park concept plans."

A recommendation to put Kingscliff Central Park on the top of its list of nominations for Regional Development Australia Fund assistance will be considered at the 19 April Council meeting.

Cr Skinner said Council had decided the community should be given additional time to comment on the Kingscliff Central Park concept plan, now the car park proposal had been brought to the fore.

"Draft designs and artists impressions of the car park have been added to the website, to show how a section of it will be located beneath the Central Park," Cr Skinner said.

"Its design, as opposed to an entirely underground car park, will enhance natural lighting and assist with security and surveillance of the car park."

The closing date for the online forum and the deadline for written submissions will both be extended to Tuesday 26 April at 4pm.

Concept designs of the car park can be viewed at the photograph library and document library of the Kingscliff Central Park webpage.