Residents have been offered alternative parking and storage spaces nearby

Underground car parks beneath four Portsmouth tower blocks have been mothballed – but a proposed plan to look at creating homes there has been scrapped.

The council closed the car parks after fire risk assessments found they posed a potential fire risk.

The car parks are located beneath council tower blocks in Estella Road and Grafton Street, in Nelson ward, and Westminster Place and Wingfield Street, in Charles Dickens ward.

The council says the spaces, which were originally built for vehicles, are now widely used for storage and, in some cases, commercial lettings.

A report stated: “The underground parking areas have been identified as a fire risk due to increased regulation following the Grenfell Tower block tragedy and the changed use of the space over time, including storage of large items, and the potential for ignition and spread of fire from within the underground parking areas.”

Fire engineers advised that sprinkler systems and mechanical ventilation would need to be installed for the car parks to remain in use.

Business cases found keeping the spaces open would result in losses of between £1m and £3.8m over a 30-year period, depending on the site and option chosen.

There are currently 321 underground units across the four sites, with 252 occupied and two commercial agreements in place.

During the decision meeting, it was confirmed residents would be provided with alternative parking spaces on an “individual basis”, with particular focus on those who need a space to meet mobility needs.

Officers responded to concerns about rodent infestations, saying the council had had a “great deal of success” in addressing the issue recently.

However, they said stored items in the car parks were contributing to the problem, with some creating “very nice homes” for rodents.

It was also confirmed that the blocks’ proximity to the ports was a contributing factor to the rodent issue.

Cllr Darren Sanders said during a visit to the car parks he saw vehicles that “looked abandoned”, covered in dust, cobwebs and “even rust”.

“I also saw things I did not expect, paint pots, tiles, shopping trolleys, loft insulation, leather chairs, tennis rackets, plastic bags, a skeleton (plastic thankfully), carpets, mattresses, wardrobes, cardboard boxes and even a dog’s house.”

He said residents told him about “people parking outside their block to use the ferry and leaving their cars for months on end” and people from outside the city “including the Isle of Wight” using the garages.

Cllr Sanders also questioned the value of the spaces, noting the council regularly received complaints about leaks.

The report originally suggested launching a feasibility study into the spaces, to see if more council homes could be built there.

Cllr Sanders said he was “deeply sceptical” about converting the car parks into flats because of the costs involved and the ongoing issues with water damage.

Instead, he recommended the council focus on providing parking and storage space for residents where possible.

The programme is expected to be completed within six months of the decision.