10 Mar 2017

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The rebuild of a popular central Christchurch car parking building is running to schedule and on budget.

The Lichfield Street Car Park was demolished after being badly damaged in the February 22, 2011, earthquake. It has been sorely missed, but now a bigger and better $28 million building is taking shape on the site between Lichfield and Cashel streets.

Project director Lee Butcher said strong winds in January caused some delays, but the build is now back on schedule and is running to budget.

The partially constructed Lichfield St parking building.

The new Lichfield St parking building is taking shape.

Once fully operational, the building will have 805 parking spaces and 953 square metres of retail space.

Mr Butcher said the new building will be full of “smart” technology.

“It’s a big step up from what was here before the earthquakes,” he said. “The design has taken account of the need for future-proofing, especially as more people get electric vehicles.”

There will be several charging bays for electric vehicles and the construction allows for more to be added later if there is demand for it.

The building has its own power substation, a backup water tank for fire suppression linked to a full sprinkler system, an automated security system and available parking spaces will be electronically displayed so that drivers can quickly identify them. Lifts can be accessed at three points, and there will eventually be pedestrian access through to Ballantynes and The Guthrey Centre. 

Accessibility has been addressed with parking for vehicles displaying disability cards on the ground floor, which also has several retail spaces opening on to Plymouth Lane.

Part of the project involves improving the lane, which runs alongside the building, between Lichfield and Cashel streets.

“Before the earthquakes this was quite a narrow dark laneway, but we’ll be giving it a whole new lease on life,’’ he said. “With the Justice Precinct opening just across the road, the whole area is going to be much busier and a lot more vibrant than it was.”

Clearwater Construction is leading a consortium including DHC Consulting, DH Steel Construction and MAP Architects to complete the building.

The Lichfield Street parking building is a key part of the Christchurch Central Parking Plan, which lays out the City Council’s parking strategy for the city centre.