THE heated political debate over a possible multi-storey car park near Worcester Cathedral and the Comm-andery has raged once again between city councillors.

A £30,000 feasibility study as to the options to increase parking on the King's Street site will be carried out next year - a move branded a 'total waste of money' by Councillor Jo Hodges at a full council meeting.

Fellow Labour councillor David Candler also asked how the council could claim to support sustainable travel, such as walking, cycling and park-and-ride, yet pay to look into another car park.

Conservative councillors dismissed their fears, saying that even if it went ahead, city parking spaces would not be increased - as other sites would be cut back - and some of the storeys were likely to be underground. Historic views such as the Cathedral would not be spoiled. "Every time car parking services are improved it brings more cars into the city centre and creates more congestion," said Coun Candler.

Coun Hodges later added: "I think the £30,000 is a total waste of money. You can't put a multi-storey car park next to one of the most beautiful buildings in the county."

Liberal Democrat councillor Sue Askin also raised the issue of potential damage to protected buildings in nearby Edgar Street. Labour's Coun Pam Clayton, a member of the cathedral congregation, said that many connected with the cathedral could not believe the plans - but she urged against leaping to conclusion until the feasibility study.

Cabinet member for finance, Conservative councillor Simon Geraghty, said: "A balanced transportation policy includes both sustainable transport and car parking. "I believe this is good asset management.

"We need to address concerns as to whether we can have a quality multi-storey car park in the centre of our historic city. The feasibility study will do that."

Coun leader Stephen Inman added: "I believe it will be quite possible to design something on the King's Street site but no one has said how many storeys it will be. Some councillors have given the impression that it will be five or six but we have never said that."

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