Royal Derby Hospital: Green light for new multi-storey car park

The new five-storey car park will be built around the site of the existing Car Park 6

Plans for a new five-storey car park at the Royal Derby Hospital have been approved by the city council.

It will be built around the site of the existing Car Park 6 and will have 875 parking spaces to replace 574 spaces lost to recent developments at the site.

Hospital bosses said the extra capacity was vital to cope with rising demand.

It is also hoped the car park will help to alleviate traffic congestion caused by people queueing for parking spaces.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Derby City Council's planning control committee voted through a recommendation to approve the plans at a meeting on Thursday.

Those present were told the building would take about two years to take shape.

Plans for a new temporary car park at the hospital while construction work takes place are expected to be revealed in the near future.

The have been traffic problems around Royal Derby Hospital

Shiraz Khan, councillor and chair of the city council's planning control committee, said: "You can see the queues backing up on Uttoxeter Road with people waiting to get a parking space.

"Hopefully this will alleviate some of that traffic."

Cathy Winfield MBE, executive chief nurse at University Hospitals Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, said she was "delighted" the plans have been given the green light.

She said parking at the hospital had been a "long-standing issue" and the new multi-storey car park would "significantly" help to improve the situation.

The approval also means initial feasibility works will take place exploring the possibility of major improvements to Uttoxeter Road and the roundabout junction near to the hospital.