WILMSLOW'S multi-storey car park has been given the green light.

Work on the £2.75million project will begin on April 2, when the existing Spring Street car park will be closed.

Macclesfield Borough Council's cabinet agreed the plan to build the 416 space multi-storey with developers Orbit, who will keep 108 spaces for its own use.

But the answer to Wilmslow's traffic misery doesn't come cheap - working out at £8,900 per council parking space.

If all goes to plan, the car park should be complete by Christmas, before traffic wardens hit the town next year.

Until then, Macclesfield says the extra 100 parking spaces recently added at Broadway Meadow and South Drive should compensate.

Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald, leader of the council, said: "Delivery of this project is a key element in the council's 2005 car parking strategy plan.

"Providing a joint building with Orbit means that infrastructure costs such as lifts, ramps etc will be shared.

"With the provision of more than 100 spaces by Orbit for its tenants it will also free up more public car parking.

"We aim to complete the project before Christmas shopping peak time in December this year."

Macclesfield Borough Council's Cabinet approved the joint scheme after accepting the lowest tender from P.E. Jones Contracts (Manchester) Ltd.

It will build the car park under a partnership agreement with Orbit Developments.

The new multi-storey, on the site of the existing Spring Street car park, will provide a total of 416 spaces.

Macclesfield Borough Council will own 308 with 108 owned by Orbit - both parties currently being owners of different proportions of adjoining land.

Currently Spring Street offers 105 spaces on a ground level parking area, leaving extra capacity available to the public of 203.

The borough's town centre manager, Diane Smith, has been in close contact with Wilmslow Business Group to keep them advised of the scheme's progress, and will continue public liaison.

David Bolton, chairman of Wilmslow Business Group, said: "We definitely welcome it. If people can't park, they won't shop, so we need to get that addressed.

"Businesses biggest concern is parking and there is nothing more annoying when you come to work than not being able to find a space.

"If it all goes as smoothly as they are saying then added parking is really going to support the whole town.

"A building like this is always going to upset somebody along the way but we are hoping that the long term gain will make up for it."

Budget provision has been made by the council for its share of the cost - £2.75m - in capital estimates for 2006/07 and 2007/08.

Because of the size of the contract it has been subject to European tendering procedures and from 17 expressions of interest six contractors were invited to tender.

Of these, four finally submitted tenders and these were subject to a process of evaluation to determine compliance with the employers requirements.