CITY council chiefs are today due to rubberstamp a scheme to introduce parking permits for people living in Southampton city centre.

The permits, which will cost at least £1,000 annually, could be brought in later this year.

As previously revealed in the Daily Echo, council chiefs want to introduce the scheme because the city centre went from being the least populated ward in Southampton in 2001 to the highest populated in 2011.

That has led to a limit on the number of car parking spaces available for city centre residents.

The new permits could actually save money for residents who are currently forced to pay up to £2,160 per year in city centre car parks.

If the Cabinet approves the scheme today, the permits will not be introduced everywhere in the city centre pay-and-display zone.

Some areas, especially those which are mainly used by shoppers, will not have the scheme introduced while businesses have been working with the council to identify other areas which are considered vital for customer parking.

A six-week-long consultation was carried out on the scheme, with 80 per cent of the 61 people who responded saying they supported it.

Some people thought the £1,000 fee was too high, while others said the permits were “vital” for the redevelopment of the fruit and vegetable market and other areas of the city centre.

Annual permits would allow residents to park in bays on streets within the zone, but would not guarantee them a specific space.

Vehicles would still need to be registered to an address, and registration numbers would be included on permits.

Visitor permits would not be available.

Current off-street parking zones, such as car parks in the Golden Grove, Holyrood and Kingsland estates, are not affected by the proposals.