A new multi-storey car park with up to 800 spaces could be built in Whitehaven town centre.

Land between Tesco supermarket and the North Shore has been earmarked for the ambitious development. If it goes ahead, it would be available to the public and for users of both the hotel and apartment building planned for the harbourside.

Pat Graham, Copeland Council's managing director, revealed the plans at a public meeting in Mirehouse, Whitehaven, last week. She said that although plans are at an early stage, funding options are being discussed between and council and landowner Britain's Energy Coast (BEC).

Last month, BEC was granted planning permission for a 203-space ground level car park on the site, and it is hoped that the plans can be expanded into a multi-storey facility.

Mrs Graham said: "Whitehaven is a wonderful, historic town but it is highly constrained in terms of parking. We want to grow the town and bring more footfall here, but we know we cannot do that without addressing the parking on a long-term basis."

Residents and visitors have long bemoaned Whitehaven's parking situation, made worse, many say, since 1,000 nuclear workers moved to town to work in Albion Square. The current multi-storey is unavailable to non-permit holders on week days.

Three-hundred more Sellafield Ltd staff are due to move into the Copeland Centre before the end of 2016.

"It's not lost on us that there's some crazy parking going on and there's a lot of people competing for space," Mrs Graham added. "But we re looking at options and our plan will be in place in the next month, including the potential new multi-storey, a new temporary car park [on the Mark House site], and possible park-and-ride and park-and-stride schemes. While Cumbria County Council is reviewing loading bays and permits in the town centre.

"It requires a combination of adequate parking space and appropriate enforcement."

North Associates, on behalf of landowners BEC, has submitted outline planning applications for a 144-room hotel on the former bus depot site and a 47-apartment block on the derelict bus station site opposite.