Parking was a special interest question in Business Horsham's December quarter survey.

The clear leader among respondents was designated short-term and long- term parking areas, with 91 per cent in favour of the idea while 62 per cent supported a multi-deck car park, despite the expense of building and maintaining it.

The least supported idea was improving public transport and introducing angle parking in Park Drive, behind Horsham Plaza.

Watts Price and Associates partner and Business Horsham executive member Brian Watts said 28 of the 88 respondents also expressed a written response on parking.

Mr Watts said ideas included Horsham Rural City Council to create and publish a clear parking strategy for Horsham's future, including fair and equitable rules for new business applications.

Other suggestions included cheaper parking meter charges in other CBD streets to reduce parking congestion in Firebrace Street; pay and display short-term parking areas within the CBD; free long-term parking on the fringe of the CBD for staff, all-day visitors and allowing for caravans; investigate options for better traffic management of Firebrace Street with Warrnambool suggested as a good model; compulsory acquisition of under-utilised land such as the gas works site and old Wilson Bolton service garage; and the availability of buying parking for staff.

Horsham Plaza manager Allison Roberts said the council needed to work closely with businesses to develop parking.

"Taking any car parking away from the CBD is detrimental to the business community. We need to start planning for our future, and the fact the town of Horsham is growing," she said.

Mrs Roberts said the plaza, which has 500 spaces, was protective of its car parks because they were for the 39,000 people who went to the plaza each week - most of who drive their cars to the plaza.