Salisbury Council votes to scale back compulsory payments to its Mawson Lakes carparking fund

A COUNCIL in Adelaide’s north has dumped a controversial carpark tax in a bid to attract new business to one of its main shopping strips.

HIGH shop vacancy rates have prompted Salisbury Council to scale back compulsory payments into its Mawson Lakes carparking fund.

New businesses will no longer have to pay into the fund if they have a floorspace of less than 200sq m.

The changes are expected to save entrepreneurs thousands of dollars and draw extra business to Mawson Lakes.

Do you think the changes to the carparking fund are a good idea? Leave your comment below.

In order to avoid the payments, their carparks would need to have a shortfall of two or less spaces under the council’s planning regulations.

Up until now, the council has required business owners to pay $12,000 into the fund for each parking space they require that is not provided on site.

The money was set aside to pay for new carparks in the suburb.

Levels Ward Councillor Brad Vermeer said the move would entice new businesses into empty shopfronts and also help existing businesses.

“In Mawson Lakes, because we have substantial vacancies in retail and commercial spaces, what we need to do is enable small businesses to expand or purchase properties much easier,” Cr Vermeer said.

Central Ward Councillor David Balaza said he would prefer the entire policy was scrapped, instead of limiting the exemption to smaller spaces.

“I’m not happy with it at all — if you want to raise funds, factor that in somewhere for a rainy day and build a facility in the future, don’t slug these traders,” Cr Balaza said.

The council has $220,000 in the fund, set up in the 1990s, and staff will investigate what it should be spent on.

Mawson Lakes Chamber of Commerce president Bill Morris said the proposal was “long overdue” and would greatly benefit small businesses and the local economy.

“Small businesses are already doing it tough and this just pushes them over the edge so I think this will make a big difference to small businesses in Mawson Lakes who, by the way, are the largest employers of people within this community,” Mr Morris said.

Sotira Moraitis plans to open a dessert bar in a former office space on Hurtle St by May, and is now considering increasing its capacity.

“The council said I could only have 12 at the moment but I would definitely want more, maybe 20 seats, to make it viable for the business,” Ms Moraitis said.

Do you think the changes to the carparking fund are a good idea? Leave your comment below.