A SCHEME to build a 100-space edge-of-town public car park will be debated by councillors this week.

Borough planners are behind the application at Romsey Rapids and the pay and display car park will be for long-stay patrons.

Like other borough council-owned sites, motorists won’t have to pay to use the proposed new car park after 4pm. Free parking is also proposed at the site on Saturdays and Sundays.

The proposal is linked to planning bosses’ aims to convert more long stay parking bays in the town centre to short and medium stay spaces in a bid to attract more shoppers and visitors to Romsey.

However, nine spaces in an overflow car park currently allocated to Romsey Rapids and a section of a sports training pitch will be lost as a result of the proposed re-figuration.

The borough council is consulting the public until Friday on parking provision in Romsey including off-street parking and measures to control lorry movements. Details are on show at the council’s offices in Church Street and an exhibition will be held at the Crosfield Hall 3pm to 8pm on Wednesday.