Christchurch's Pit Site car park to close after it was sold

Pit Site car park, off Fountain Roundabout in Christchurch, will no longer be accessed by the public later this month. 

Sold to the Aster Group, the site, which comes with the old police station and magistrates’ court, is now one step closer to redevelopment. 

Read more: Legal issues delay plans for Christchurch Police Station

Cllr Mike Cox, portfolio holder for finance, said: “Following the agreed sale of Pit Site car park in Christchurch, it will permanently close to the public on Monday 19 June 2023.

Pit Site car park (Image: Google Maps)

“This will allow ownership of this car park to transfer with immediate effect to Aster Group on Tuesday 20 June 2023. 

“We appreciate that this will cause significant inconvenience to those who use the car park, however I am reassured by the measures taken by the preceding authority in 2018, which mitigated this loss by introducing additional spaces at other town centre car parks. 

“This significant milestone will allow the redevelopment of the old Police Station and Magistrates’ Court site.” 

A spokeswoman for Aster said: “We will take ownership of the car park on 20 June as part of our wider plans to redevelop the former Christchurch police station into much needed new housing and amenities for the local community. 

“More detail on these plans will be announced in due course.” 

The Christchurch Police Station site (Image: Daily Echo)

Redeveloping the site has proved to be a long process for Aster after a resident took the council to High Court over converns the approval for redevelopment was not lawful. 

The High Court decided it was lawful, but the resident has since applied to appeal the decision. 

Read more: Four assets for sale by BCP Council named in meeting

Aster Group is planning to redevelop the disused land, building 130 homes, dozens of sheltered accommodation units and commercial and community facilities. 

Speaking last year, Aster said that it is “committed” to the development, which would providing a number of “affordable homes for local families that need them.” 

It also said that the sale of the site would unlock “crucial funds” for one of the current site owners, a charity in the town called the Christchurch Magdalen Trust.