Chippenham Car Park set for major improvement works

Sadlers Mead car park in Chippenham is set for major improvement works to increase capacity and provide more electric car charging points.

The car park next to The Olympiad will close from 10 January for 11 months as works begin on creating a new surface and multi-storey car park.

The new car park will increase the number of spaces from the current 165 to 237 car spaces, three coach spaces and six motorcycle spaces. There will also be 12 electric car charging points installed initially, with infrastructure for future points.

While the work is ongoing, the car park will need to be closed and drivers will need to use other car parks in the area. Vehicle access only will still be possible from Sadlers Mead to Monkton Park during construction activities. There is a pedestrian diversion in place either via Cocklebury Road/Monkton Hill or via Sadlers Mead / Monkton Park.

During the building work, the Emery Gate car park, which has a total of 342 spaces, will be open earlier from 6am-10pm daily to accommodate those needing to park early. There are also other alternative car parks nearby, which can be found on our website.

Site activity is due to begin on 10 January with completion due later that year. Wiltshire Council will write to those directly affected.

Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: "Chippenham is a thriving town with exciting economic opportunities. This investment will help provide more car parking spaces in our growing town, including electric car parking spaces with scope for more for the future.

"We have put plans in place to ensure there is sufficient car parking elsewhere in the town while this essential work takes place and we thank motorists for their patience during this time. We look forward to sharing with them our much-improved car parking spaces in the future." 

The car park work will take place alongside the building of new headquarters for Good Energy, which is situated next door. Good Energy's new offices, currently in design development, will include cycle parking, solar panels and battery storage, with 40 parking spaces for the office building at ground level.