BOSSES of a new £28million health centre have been left scratching their heads after revealing its 130-space car park was not being well used.

Despite more than a quarter of a million people visiting the St Peter's Centre, Church Street, Burnley, since it opened in March, the car park often boasts many empty spaces.

It is thought visitors are perhaps parking on other nearby facilities because they do not realise the new car park is there.

Coun Roger Frost, Burnley Council's executive member for leisure and culture, said: "The public response to the centre since opening has been tremendous, yet many visitors do not seem to be taking full advantage of the excellent parking facilities we have there.

"Parking at the centre is not only low-priced but at certain times it is completely free for centre users.

"We also have a ticket system in place to ensure that, wherever possible, there are available spaces for centre visitors."

The car park includes 12 spaces for disabled visitors and four family/mother and baby spaces.

On Sundays and every day after 6pm it is free, and it can also be used for no charge for up to 40 minutes at any time.

Up to one hour, it costs 50p, and £1.50 for up to two hours.

Burnley Council, which jointly manages the centre with the East Lancashire Primary Care Trust, is predicting that more than half a million visitors will use the leisure centre in its first year.

The new health facility, which has been dubbed a mini-hospital, takes its name from the nearby parish church.

It houses nine floors of doctors' surgeries, physio-therapists' offices, children's orthoptics services, the genito-urinary medicine clinic, as well as a speech and language therapy.