NCP Administration-Risks and Opportunities
The recent announcement that NCP Car Parks has entered administration has garnered much attention in the local media, including the Evington Echo. Concerns are circulating about the effects of a potential closure upon availability of car parking in the city and potentially lost revenue for businesses as people chose to stay out of the centre. Appeals have been made for the City Council to take over running of the at-risk car parks with the City Mayor arguing that there are still enough parking places available, albeit not all in the right places. In addition, it is argued that taking over the failing car parks which are losing revenue is a waste of tax-payers money. The City Council Facebook page says “……. more than 10,000 parking spaces are still available, including at the city council’s car parks, which all have National Park Mark accreditation, meaning they are well lit, well managed and are regularly monitored for the safety of all users.”
Likely future options for Leicester NCP sites include continue to operate (short term; most likely), the administrators will try to keep revenue flowing particular in busy sites near shopping (Highcross/Haymarket), transport hubs, and offices. These are the most likely to survive or be sold as going concerns.
The cause of NCP’s difficulties is the gradual decline in demand, the underlying drivers of which are remote working post Covid, online shopping and a push for public transport and ‘active travel’ for ecological reasons.
City-centre sites are increasingly viewed as development land not long-term parking. Some are therefore suitable as ‘brownfield’ development land parcels, which helps the City Council meet its obligations under the National Planning Policy Framework, and interestingly for Evington takes the pressure off using Leicester Golf Course for housing.
Two car parks are likely to survive and are at low-risk long term because of their locations near shops, entertainment venues, hospitals and the universities. NCP Leicester Rutland Centre is near prime retail and leisure locations (Curve, Haymarket and Pheonix theatres), it has a large capacity and is in a strong area for footfall. The most likely outcome is it will be sold to another operator and continue as a core city-centre car park.
The second likely to survive is NCP Leicester Welford Road which is near the university and offices and already has EV charging installed. It will most likely be retained and further upgraded.
Other car parks are more at risk although some may survive in the medium term.
Sources:
2-Leicester City Council urged to take over closed NCP car parks – BBC News
3-Four NCP car parks in #Leicester will… – Leicester City Council | Facebook
4-https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/16/car-park-firm-ncp-falls-into-administration-putting-nearly-700-jobs-at-risk
5-https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/20/ncp-car-park-operator-high-charges-administration-debt
6- https://www.ncp.co.uk/find-a-car-park/car-parks/leicester-rutland-centre/
