If you thought it's been harder to find a park in Civic in recent years, the numbers confirm your suspicions would be right.
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New figures have revealed there are 180 fewer car spaces owned by the government in the city centre this year compared to 2014.
This year, there are 2735 government-owned car park spaces in the city centre, compared to 2915 five years ago.
The reduction of car park spaces comes after a rise in developments in Civic in recent years.
The changes of car park space numbers over the past five years include:
- 225 spaces being lost from the Legislative Assembly due to the Constitution Place development on London Circuit
- 70 spaces lost from the Childers Street car park due to it being used as a construction compound
- 35 spaces being added to the Baileys Corner car park near Theatre Lane
- 80 spaces added to the car park behind Canberra Theatre.
All other car parks owned by the government in Civic have remained unchanged since 2014.
The largest loss of car park spaces in Civic, from the Legislative Assembly car park, isn't expected to be rectified until mid-2020, when the Constitution Place development is completed. An ACT government spokeswoman said completion of the development would see more car parks available to drivers.
"When the new development is opened, 250 new public car parks will be added, in addition to the new car parking spaces to service the building," the spokeswoman said.
"Nearby, a new car park was constructed behind the Canberra Theatre, adding approximately 80 new car parking spaces in Civic."
The government said despite the loss of spaces from the central car park, an additional 180 spaces had opened last year in the West Basin, following the opening of Henry Rolland Park.
With a large number of apartment developments slated around Civic, the government spokeswoman said it was looking closely at parking supply in the city.
"The Territory Plan identifies certain civic sites for car-park replacement, which requires new development to replace public car parking in addition to providing new car parking to service the needs of the new development," the spokeswoman said.
"The government is closely monitoring parking supply across the city centre."