BURNLEY'S St Peter's multi-storey car park could be closed in a major shake-up of parking plans for the town.

An early draft of the council's new Parking Strategy says major refurbishment or rebuilding of the 30-year-old Church Street park "is unlikely to be justified" following recent completion of the £6million privately-owned Millennium car park in the shopping centre.

The report which goes to Burnley councillors tonight says the closure of St Peter's can be accommodated with an increase in short-stay parking at the town hall and Centenary Way car parks and reduction in the requirement for long stay parking for the council, college and other businesses.

The draft, to members of the planning committee, says the strategy should be used to cut the number of long-stay commuter parking in Burnley and Padiham and use charging levies to encourage short-term use of parks.

The document says long stay and contract parking should be restricted to edge-of-centre sites.

The strategy calls for an increase in disabled parking spaces and more residents only schemes close to the town centre.

It also envisages fewer council-operated car parks in the town.

Councillors were told there will now be further consultation before the final draft strategy is drawn up and goes forward for public debate.