CHRISTCHURCH town council says it is prepared to step in and buy the BCP-owned car park alongside the town’s Waitrose.

The unitary council has voted against selling the site by a narrow margin  – despite hearing disputed claims that Waitrose might move out unless they could gain full control of the car park.

A statement to this week’s BCP full council meeting from the Christchurch mayor elect Avril Coulton asked for the decision to sell to the town council to be reconsidered “in light of the full facts.”

She said in a statement that in March 2021, BCP Council had resolved not to sell the car park to a private company: “asset stripping was the main concern.”

“Since then my council has written to the council leader, deputy leader and CEO. The town council is in a strong position and is able to purchase the site for the same price.

“The leader, Cllr Drew Mellor, has confirmed since that BCP would not sell the site. This decision was not made by council and in the light of the full facts, the town council asks BCP to reconsider its position knowing that a solution is available.”

Her statement was received by a ripple of applause around the room.

The BCP Conservative administration has previously agreed to sell the site, for a reported £1.5m, to the pension fund which has the freehold of the store before, or at the time, the lease on the bypass car park expires in 2027.  In a ‘normal’ year the car park generates around £300,000 in fees.

Council leader Drew Mellor insisted at the time of the vote against the sale that he was committed to investing in Christchurch, but decided that all his councillors, with the exception of ward councillor Peter Hall, would abstain in the vote.

That left Cllr Hall with the Christchurch independent councillors and Lib Dem Cllr Mike Cox to make the decision.

Cllr Cox said that the time there was no evidence that Waitrose were even considering leaving the town and had been investing in the store. He criticised the quality of the council’s valuation report and the fact no other options had been brought forward.

Independent Christchurch councillor Lesley Dedman, claimed at the same meeting that the sale by BCP would be a bad deal for the town. “At the first opportunity this administration is selling off the family silver and a lot of residents take this view,” she said.