Moray Council have been forced to close the upper levels of the St Giles Centre car park in Elgin due to structural defects in the supporting concrete columns.
Moray Council have said that the closure is to “ensure the safety of the public”.
During investigative works, special contractors discovered structural defects in the concrete support columns that hold levels three to six in place.
This has compromised the structural integrity of the upper levels and as such Moray Council decided to close the levels off to the public to ensure public safety.
While the upper floors have been closed off, levels one and two remain open with 93 spaces available for people to park.
This is compared to the more than 280 spaces that the St Giles Centre car park can accommodate at maximum capacity.
There is also no step-free access for wheelchair users from levels one and two to the St Giles Centre.
The upper levels of the car park have been closed off until further notice
People looking for alternative parking can access North Point with 80 spaces or Lossie Green with over 350 spaces.
Moray Council’s transportation manager, Nicola Moss, said: “We have a duty to ensure the safety of the public, and this closure is in response to those obligations.
“We acted swiftly to reduce the risk and don’t foresee the upper levels of the car park re-opening until a future plan for the structure is known.
“We’ll review the blue badge spaces and advise the public of any further changes to access to these spaces. We apologise to drivers for any inconvenience caused.”
