Stacked car parking, which is ubiquitous in Europe, is being considered for planning approval by the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate for a Lowanna Street redevelopment.

In the development application, MGB Property Developments proposes 34 units spread over a number of three-storey buildings with stacked car parking in the basement.

Director of MGB Property Developments Bernie Bryant said he did not want to comment while the development application was being considered, but documents show the company is proposing to use the Wö¨hr Parklift system.

University of Canberra urban planning expert Barbara Norman said stacked car parking would become more common in the ACT.

''It's a trend that has developed in Japan and other places and the principle is that the less land used for car parking the better,'' Professor Norman said.

''We have a lot of land that is used for at-grade car parking that could be used for other uses such as affordable housing or mixed use developments that could meet the needs of a range of Canberrans.''

Canberra architect Tony Trobe said the proposed introduction of stacked car parking showed Canberra was coming of age in its centenary year.

Mr Trobe said stacked car parking could also improve the aesthetics of the city centre.

''A map of Civic is dominated by carparks … taking cars away from dominating the city and putting them somewhere else is terrific,'' he said.

But Professor Norman urged the government to concentrate on public transport over car parks.

''Less land used for car parking is a great thing - if we have to have cars - but it should be part of an integrated transport strategy where we invest in public transport like light rail at the same time.''