Britain’s best car parks: the mega multi-storeys it’s a pleasure to park in
It’s time to transform parking into a prestige affair! These are officially the nation’s best new car parks…
Whether it’s the journey or the destination that you’re looking forward to the most, there’s one part of every car trip that you might not give that much thought to; parking. Think about it, though, would you want to leave your cherished wheels in a dank and dreary wasteland with litter strewn everywhere, non-existent lighting and some deeply concerning aromas lurking in the lifts? Probably not. No need to worry, though, because you can find some truly outstanding parking facilities in the UK and we’ve listed Britain’s best car parks right here.
While our own team of experts find themselves travelling the length and breadth of the country to drive the latest cars, we haven’t quite managed to visit every single car park across the UK. Fortunately, the British Car Parking Awards judges at Parking Review have taken on the challenge of finding the best car parks that the nation has to offer.
While there are a number of different categories at the annual British Car Parking Awards ceremony, we’re focussing on the winners of the flagship Best New Car Park award. This is presented to the recent arrivals in the car park world that boast the most groundbreaking designs and construction methods, as well as some top-notch facilities for motorists and their vehicles.
So, if you’re ready to say goodbye to manky multi-storeys, read on to find Britain's very best car parks. Let us know your car park recommendations in the comments section below…
Central Car Park, Blackpool
- Best New Car Park 2024
Forget the tower and the illuminations because Blackpool has a new star attraction. The town’s Central Multi-Storey Car Park was declared the nation’s Best New Car Park in 2024.
This 1,300-space car park was built as part of a £300million regeneration project on the site of an old railway station. The aluminum exterior cladding is a very far cry from your typical brutalist concrete structures of the past and, as well as plenty of spaces, this car park also has several useful features inside including electric car charging, variable driver information signage, and CCTV throughout.
New Market Parking, Chester
- Best New Car Park 2023 (joint winner)
While plenty of car parks are a sea of grey concrete, Chester’s New Market Parking brings a bit of welcome greenery into the mix. It looks rather pleasant on the inside, too, with a selection of unique artworks that celebrate the town’s history. As well as being visually pleasing, New Market Parking offers excellent accessibility with multiple help points and lifts, clear signage and colour-coded levels.
Railway North Car Park, Stevenage
- Best New Car Park 2023 (joint winner)
Also referred to as the ‘Stevenage Mobility Hub’, Railway North Car Park has been assembled with convenience in mind. With dynamic space counting signage and not a single pillar in sight, it should prove very easy to find an empty space in this 622-strong multi-storey.
There’s no risk of losing your ticket, either, as payments are taken care of via Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. If you’re not travelling by car, there are also 80 dedicated spaces for bicycles and a further 27 for motorbikes.
Riverside, Sunderland
- Best New Car Park 2023 (joint winner)
Built as part of a huge redevelopment project, Riverside has been designed with sustainability firmly in mind. Not only has this car park been tactically placed to help reduce congestion in the town centre, but there are plenty of touches within to help keep the building’s carbon footprint at bay, too.
Infra-red technology is used to ensure that unnecessary lighting is kept to a minimum in order to reduce energy consumption, and the structure also features two ‘living walls’ with over 50,000 plants growing within them. It’s not only drivers who can make use of this car park, either, as the unique perforated panel structure accommodates an observation room which is used by the council and police to monitor events that are taking place at the nearby Stadium of Light.
Broad Marsh Bus Station & Car Park, Nottingham
- Best New Car Park 2022
Once upon a time, Broad Marsh was a typical 1970s concrete car park that belonged to a shopping centre. However, the canvas was wiped clean in 2018 when that car park was completely demolished. Today, the modern Broad Marsh car park is a whopping 1,304-space construction with a multi-material facade on the outside that includes aluminium, glass and even terracotta.
These materials help the structure to truly blend in with the rest of this massively redeveloped area. If you’re thinking of parking and riding, the local bus station is located within the lower levels or, alternatively, there’s a cycle hub on the ground floor.
Kings Dock, Liverpool
- Best New Car Park 2021
After a devastating fire destroyed the Echo Arena car park in 2017, work soon began on a new, vastly improved replacement. The Kings Dock car park was completed in 2020, and the result was a mammoth 1,450-space construction that, perhaps unsurprisingly, pays particularly close attention to safety. As well as being staffed on a 24/7 basis, Kings Dock is also fitted with 250 CCTV cameras, widened staircases, a sprinkler system and a fireman’s lift.
Not only is it much safer, but this car park is user-friendly, too, with touches such as pre-bookable EV charging, colour-coded levels, help points and multiple entries and exits. It might not be subtle to look at, but Kings Dock is still quite easy on the eye as the exterior brickwork has been carefully designed to match the surrounding historic buildings.
Watts House Car Park, University of Brighton
- Best New Car Park 2020
It would seem that the University of Brighton is keen to attract budding architects with its Moulsecoombe campus playing host to one of the nation’s more distinctive car parks. With its green, gold and white facade helping it to stand out by a country mile, Watts House Car Park is definitely unique to look at, but there’s a bit more to it than just being pretty.
The building’s design has actually been carefully thought out in order to reduce its perceived size and ultimately help it to blend into its surroundings, regardless of its bright colours. Inside there are 550 spaces as well as storage for up to 330 bicycles. If cyclists are feeling a bit sticky on a summer’s day or need to conduct some emergency repairs, there are showers, a tool station and bike pump all on site.
Central Car Park, Lincoln
- Best New Car Park 2019
Lincoln Central Car Park is distinctively 21st century compared to a large amount of the city’s existing architecture, but the building does still pay tribute to the area’s rich history by proudly displaying the Lincoln coat of arms above the entrance.
The car park was built as part of a larger Transport Hub project. There are convenient bus and rail links to be found once you’ve parked up, and the neighbouring bus station is also an award-winner.
Victoria, Leeds
- Best New Car Park 2018 (joint winner)
Not only does the Victoria shopping centre in Leeds carry the title of the Best New Car Park of 2018, but this twisty black-and-white behemoth was also ranked as the third coolest car park in the world, according to an international survey conducted by Looking4.com and DesignCurial.
Street cred aside, the Victoria also offers plenty of functional appeal including 805 parking spaces — including 50 bays for Blue Badge holders and a further 18 spots for families — 24/7 opening hours and 16 EV chargers.
Q-Park Deansgate North, Manchester
- Best New Car Park 2018 (joint winner)
Manchester has no shortage of railway arches, so this particular car park is a bit more subtle to behold than some of the other entries on this list. Take a look inside, though, and Q-Park’s Deansgate North site is a thoroughly modern affair with energy-efficient LED lighting, high-speed entrance security shutters, toilet facilities and a whopping 41 electric car charging points. Also, if your car decides to misbehave, there are jump leads on site to get you going again. You can even borrow an umbrella if the weather turns typically northern.
Rose Lane Car Park, Norwich
- Best New Car Park 2017
Not only did Rose Lane shine during the 2017 British Parking Awards ceremony, but this car park also shines every day in the literal sense. Due to a clever combination of lighting and powder coated façade panels filled with holes, passers by are treated to a sparkling effect once night falls. When the sun rises again, 530 square meters of solar panels help to keep this 595-space car park sustainable and efficient to run.
National Grid Car Park, Warwick
- Best New Car Park 2016
As Britain gradually makes the switch over to greener electricity, it’s only fitting that the National Grid’s headquarters should have an equally eco-friendly car park. While there’s a fair amount of steel to be found in this construction, you’ll also find one of Europe’s largest living walls, measuring a stonking 1,027 square metres. Within this wall are bird and insect boxes as well as plenty of greenery, in order to provide a habitat for local wildlife. Elsewhere, low energy motion-sensing LED lights and natural ventilation help to keep this car park’s carbon footprint down to a minimum.
Airport Terminal 2 Short Stay, London Heathrow Airport
- Best New Car Park 2015
Rushing to catch a flight can be a stressful experience, and major airports certainly have their fair share of parking options to choose from. The architects behind Heathrow’s Terminal 2 Short Stay car park have attempted to take a little bit of tension out of this experience by making things as convenient as possible.
Naturally, this car park was expected to be incredibly busy from its first day of opening, so, prior to opening in 2014, the teams behind it spent six months conducting driver behaviour tests to ensure that it was up to this challenging task. Today, this car park is still one of the more convenient ways to get from your car to Terminal 2, and a covered walkway will help to keep the rain from spoiling your trip.
Royal Liverpool University Hospital
- Best New Car Park 2015
Accessibility is key with Royal Liverpool University Hospital’s car park, and this silver and bronze cladded multi-storey is adorned with features that make it easier and safer to use. Pedestrian walkways are brightly colour coded to prevent any cars from driving over them, all of the flooring is waterproof, and access ramps are covered in a high friction coating to prevent slips, trips and falls. There’s only one downside, though, as you have to be a member of hospital staff in order to use this car park.
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