More parking spaces are available in the town centre this Christmas than there were last year despite the closure of the Crown Car Park.

IPSWICH: More parking spaces are available in the town centre this Christmas than there were last year despite the closure of the Crown Car Park.

That was the bold claim today as the borough lodged its formal planning application to demolish most of the car park early next year.

The top of the park is to come off, leaving a total of 231 spaces on two levels - less than a quarter of the 1,001 spaces that were available before it was closed last month.

If the move is approved by councillors over the next few weeks, the work is expected to take place early next year allowing the smaller park to open in September.

Eventually it is expected that the site will be completely redeveloped - but that could be many years away and will depend on an improvement in the economy generally.

But while businesses have been left feeling concerned at the loss of the town's largest car park, a borough spokesman said there was still plenty of space for cars in the town centre.

He said: “When you look at all the temporary parking that has come on line around the Waterfront area and in other parts of the town centre, there are still more spaces here than we had last Christmas.

“It is a blow that we have lost the Crown car park - but it is not true to say that there is nowhere for anyone to park in Ipswich. The town is still very accessible for motorists.”

Many of the car parks have temporary planning permission and are expected to be redeveloped in the long term - but then there could be further spaces becoming available.

Within the next few months there should also be a new 70-space car park open on the site of the former St Peter's Warehouse after the borough gave its backing to a temporary park there earlier this week.