Sunshine Coast Council introduces paid parking at Mooloolaba site ahead of hotel development

Before a carpark is transformed into a 4.5 star hotel drivers will be forced to cough up cash to park there from next week.

Before a carpark is transformed into a 4.5 star hotel drivers will be forced to cough up cash to park there from next week.

Sunshine Coast Council is introducing paid parking at the Brisbane Rd ground-level carpark, beside the multi-level 700-space Park 'n' Go facility.

It will have the same rate as the seven-storey facility of $2.50 an hour.

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A council spokesperson said the introduction of paid parking in both sections of the Brisbane Rd site was endorsed at its December meeting.

"In mid-2020, a decision was made to retain the temporary at-grade car park fronting Brisbane Road until future development," they said.

Last year council signed a binding development agreement with KPAT Property for the delivery of a 160-room, fully serviced hotel at the site of the ground-level car park.

In December KPAT Property owner and founder Kenneth Wagner said he hoped a development application would be lodged by April and for construction to start in the second half of 2022.

"In line with council's Parking Management Plan … parking fees of just $2.50 per hour with a maximum daily charge of $12.50 will be introduced at the temporary at-grade car park on Monday 8 March 2021," the council spokesperson said.

Drivers circling around Mooloolaba's streets instead of taking up the hundreds of free spaces at the $18 million new paid parking facility at Brisbane Rd.

They said the parking meters were a "low cost investment" and because they were solar and battery powered, they could be easily used in other locations.

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The site is also being used to test functionality and benefits of the pay-by-plate technology.

"The ParknGo Mooloolaba Central car park has been well used on weekends, and especially during event times," the spokesperson said.

"The car park is an investment in Mooloolaba's future with the facility being designed to offset parking changes as part of the Mooloolaba Foreshore Masterplan and to accommodate peak demands during event times and growth over the next 10 years."

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Council introduces paid parking at Mooloolaba site ahead of hotel development