A call has been made for work to start on improving a Lichfield car park and the northern end of the city centre as soon as possible.

Lichfield District Council has an ambitious scheme to see the city’s Bird Street car park become a new retail centre with housing and offices as well as restaurants or a cafe overlooking Minster Pool. The plans have just been out for public consultation and received positive response from Lichfield City Council, but may be delayed by the credit crunch.

Council bosses are looking to add the scheme on a Supplementary Planning Document once the Core Strategy of the Local Development Framework is finalised.

They have warned it would be postponed if the economic downturn looks likely to have a negative impact on the quality of the development and they would look to start at 2012 or 2013 at the earliest.

The council believes development would improve the site’s poor appearance and help provide a new focus for the city’s northern end.

But Councillor John Walker, who sits on both Lichfield District and Lichfield City councils, said he wanted to see work start as soon as possible and include widening of the footpath between Market Street and Bird Street car park.

He believes the work ought to be done before Friarsgate development, at the opposite end of the city, is completed.

Councillor Walker said: “That would be the right way forward. When the Friarsgate opens up it will affect the lower part of the town and if we don’t move now, then they’ll be left high and dry.

“This is the right time to do something about it.

“As a district councillor I’m also calling for at least a wider walkway through from Market Street to Bird Street. This would be essential so that shoppers can walk through and have a lovely view of the cathedral.”