A car park in Norwich city centre requires repairs costing in excess of £1 million, despite being less than 20 years ago.
St Andrews car park was built in 2004, but now fails to meet safety standards, Norfolk Live reported.
In order to prevent suicide attempts and save lives, new edging measures need to be installed and a four-metre anti-climb fence fitted around the top deck.
Mike Stonard, cabinet member for inclusive and sustainable growth, told the publication: “The current construction of the car park doesn’t meet modern safety standards.”
As a result, the cost of repairs has escalated from £300,000 in September to £1.2 million, due to “extremely expensive” scaffolding and materials.
However, a planning application from Norwich Council noted the emotional and financial effect of suicide, which the repairs are intended to prevent.
A statement from the local authority said suicides have a “significant emotional impact on the emergency services and council staff that attend these incidents”.
They also cost public services £1.7 million each time and affect between 20 and 70 people, particularly those in the emergency services.
There have been several incidences of people jumping off St Andrews car park over the last few years, including a woman in April 2021, a man in July 2020, and another man in 2019.
Norwich Council’s new measures will help prevent any more lives being unnecessarily taken too soon and protect the wider public.
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