Council seeks feedback on proposed parking changes

The community is being invited to have its say on proposed parking changes at four locations across Invercargill and Bluff, as well as changes to the Parking Control Bylaw.

Invercargill City Council’s Parking Control Bylaw 2026 consultation opened on Wednesday, 23 September and includes proposed changes at Te Unua Museum of Southland, Wachner Place, Esk Street West and Stirling Point in Bluff.

Council is also proposing changes to its Parking Control Bylaw, with a plan to remove parking maps from the bylaw and publish current parking decisions and maps separately on the Council’s website.

Invercargill City Council Group Manager Consenting and Environment Jonathan Shaw said the proposed change would make it simpler to keep parking arrangements up to date.

“Currently, because the parking maps form part of the bylaw, changing a parking arrangement can mean going through a formal bylaw review just to update a map. We’re proposing to separate the maps from the bylaw, while keeping the requirement for parking changes to be formally considered and approved by Council.”

Removing the maps from the bylaw would not mean Council could make parking changes without considering community views. Changes to parking spaces and no-stopping areas would still require a formal Council resolution, and consultation may still be required depending on the significance of a proposed change.

The proposed parking changes cover four locations across Invercargill and Bluff.

At Te Unua Museum of Southland, Council is proposing free parking with a maximum stay of four hours, mobility parking, a bus stop and no-stopping areas to support the museum when it opens. Other parking at Queen’s Park, including at the Feldwick Gates, would not be impacted.

At Wachner Place, Council is proposing to make the entire area an authorised vehicle parking area, meaning only vehicles with a Council-issued authorised vehicle permit could park there.

On Esk Street West, the proposal formalises the existing parking design associated with the Distinction Hotel, which includes new no-stopping areas, a bus stop with a maximum stay of one hour and 15-minute parking spaces outside the Distinction Hotel.

At Stirling Point in Bluff, Council is proposing a no-stopping area at the end of State Highway 1, ensuring two-way traffic flow during peak flow times, following a request from the Bluff Community Board.

Other proposed changes to the Parking Control Bylaw include recognising electronic parking permits and simplifying or reorganising some provisions to make the Bylaw clearer and easier to use.

Shaw encouraged people to look at the proposals and have their say.

“Parking affects how people access our city centre, businesses and some of our most popular places, so we want to know what people think before any decisions are made.”

Consultation is open from Wednesday, 23 September until 5pm Sunday, 25 October 2026.

People can view the proposals, maps and supporting information and make a submission at Let's Talk.