Cllr Peter Millea, the cabinet member responsible for transportation in the city, said: “The issue is that Seel Street and the area around it has been a building site. Whatever traffic regulations are in place have been suspended or not renewed.
“This is a very turbulent period which we’ve come through, but it has been used by some to park their vehicles for free.
“It has been alleged that we turned a blind eye to what was going on. We may have done that, but when there is £1bn-worth of investment going into the area, we can’t say, ‘thanks for your money, but we’re not going to let you work here’.”
The area covered by the order, which comes into effect next month, is a collection of roads off Hanover Street: Seel Street, Gradwell Street, the new David Lewis Street, Campbell Street, and part of Concert Street.
An experimental order can be put in place more quickly and lasts for 18 months.
