Sunday 27 April 2014

Underground Car Park Raises Plenty of Concerns

This week’s confirmation of QVM’s proposal for an underground car park raises a lot of questions, particularly for traders, and so far, there has been little attempt to answer those questions.

The proposal is for a car park under A, B, and C sheds. A two or three level underground construction would cause massive disruption to trading and estimates of the construction time involved range from one 1 to 2 years. In the meantime traders from A, B, and C sheds would be relocated and Specialty Traders in the top end would be concertinaed into around half their current space.  

How will this be achieved? Will traders with double stalls be asked to reduce their holdings? Will traders with multiple holdings be asked to give up some of their stalls? What compromises will have to be made? What compensation will be arranged for displaced traders?

There are many questions to be answered. Modest and fragile businesses are facing very uncertain futures. It is time for QVM to put its property developer hat aside and consider the future of its traders.

Have Your Say - click here.

COMMENTS:
27/04/2014 20:45:02 Underground Car Park Raises Plenty of Concerns "As a trader in Victoria Street shops I welcome and applaud the concept of multi-storey underground carpark.  This is something we've needed for many years.  I also welcome extended trading hours, we are after, all, a business, and if we need to hire more staff to run shifts, we will do it!" Jodi