WILTSHIRE'S chief constable Elizabeth Neville is asking Wiltshire Police Authority to agree to the building of a new car park at police headquarters in London Road, Devizes.

Dame Elizabeth said in a report to the police authority's finance and major projects committee that more car parking spaces are needed for staff and visitors.

In the report she recommends approval be given to the building of a 78-space car park in front of the new joint control centre for use by staff and members of the police authority. She wants it to be barrier controlled.

She said a planning application will need to be submitted to Kennet District Council for the £220,000 project.

In her report she said the lack of parking spaces had now reached an unacceptable and critical level.

She said: "Considerable staff and visitor time is wasted travelling around the site looking for a parking space.

"This is so in respect of drivers of private and official vehicles. It is particularly relevant with regard to those whose duty requires them to leave and return to the site during the working day, and those visitors who arrive other than at the start of the day when there is a reasonable chance of finding space."

She said the police had taken action to reduce the number of operational vehicles at police headquarters by renting space at the Science Museum at Wroughton, near Swindon.

She said the pressure on car parking at the headquarters was due to an increase in staff working there, including at the new joint control centre.

Police were considering whether charging for parking would be an option, she said, but believed the best option would be to build an additional car park. The report will be discussed at a meeting on Monday.