This 'temporary' city centre car park will remain in use for three more years

A 'temporary' city centre car park can remain in use for another three years - to support the next stage of a major regeneration scheme. The 82-space facility on the Smithfield development in Hanley was originally created for residents in the nearby Clayworks apartment building, while the Smithfield multi-storey car park was under construction, and planning permission expired in January.

But now Stoke-on-Trent City Council has agreed to extend the permission for a further three years, up to 2027, to allow a future phase of Smithfield to get started. The car park will now be used by guests at the adjacent Hilton Garden Inn hotel.

Hotel guests currently use a private surface car park off Cannon Place, on the other side of the Potteries Way ring road. According to the planning application, submitted by Smithfield developer Genr8, the Cannon Place car park will be closed 'for an extended period of time', to allow site investigations and subsequent construction work, once plans have been submitted and approved.

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Future phases of Smithfield are set to include development of the land to the south of the ring road, but Genr8 has yet to announce any firm plans.

The planning officers' decision report states: "The proposed development is for a temporary period only and is necessary whilst the wider redevelopment of the surrounding area progresses. The justification for the retention of this car park...for an extended period of three years is considered to be acceptable."

Access to the car park will continue to be via a junction on Potteries Way. The plans include the addition of two ANPR cameras on existing lampposts.