Barfields 2 Park & Ride extension opens 11 March 2022
A new 287-space car park opposite Winchester Sport & Leisure Park in Barfield Close in Winchester will open on Friday 11 March. The site is set to be a new electric vehicle charging hub for Winchester, helping decarbonise the city and provide clean energy.
The extension to the car park is part of Winchester Movement Strategy’s key aim to reduce city centre traffic and improve air quality.
The structure includes 800 square metres of roof-mounted solar panels, generating enough power to charge the 16 Electric Vehicle Charging Points as well as the lighting, lifts, CCTV and other electrical systems in the building. Further EV charge points can be added as demand grows further underscoring the council's commitment to encouraging alternatively-fuelled and low-carbon modes of transport.
The project has been delivered by Winchester City Council in partnership with Willmott Dixon Construction and Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (EM3 LEP) who has provided £5.65m of grant funding.
The EV charge points will go live in April and in the meantime visitors can use the charging points available at the nearby Barfields car park.
The all-new structure features:
- 400 square metres of green wall;
- 115 new trees (12 specimens and 103 woodland whips) on the side of the car park facing the National Park;
- 92 species of plants and more than 4,000 bulbs planted nearby.
Cllr Martin Tod, Winchester City Council Cabinet Member for Service Quality & Transformation said:
“This is the first car park in Winchester to have solar panels that generate enough electricity to cover all the equipment and lighting in the building – as well as enabling electric cars to be charged with solar power as well.
It will help reduce unnecessary car movements through town and improve air quality while making sure that people can still easily access the city centre – and also enables us to release central Winchester car parking space for other uses. We are grateful to the EM3 Local Enterprise Partnership for their support and funding for this project.”
Richard Poulter, managing director of Wilmott Dixon’s central south office, added:
“We are delighted to have supported Winchester City Council in their ambitions to make the city greener.”
“Through our 2030 ‘Now or Never sustainability strategy, we have committed to deliver brilliant, climate ready buildings that optimise the health and wellbeing of the people using them. We are proud to accelerate this ambition through the delivery of this highly sustainable car park for the people of Winchester.”
Kevin Travers, Head of Infrastructure, Transport and Place at Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership said:
“We are delighted that the EM3 Local Enterprise Partnership has been able to fund this scheme which enhances the city of Winchester's move towards a cleaner, greener and healthier place.
“As well as providing, much needed additional capacity to keep cars out of the city centre, the project also incorporates a range of sustainable, low carbon and digital elements, such as battery storage and electric vehicle charging points. The new facility will also support new jobs and employment space supporting economic growth and new and existing developments in Winchester.
“The LEP has invested in this scheme as part of our Recovery and Renewal Action Plan to support a strengthened and refocussed local economy as we emerge from the pandemic.”