A new car park at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary can be created.
Plans by the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust to increase parking at the hospital were approved by Cumberland Council’s planning committee on Wednesday.
Chris Hardman, the council’s head of development management, told members that they had received a supporting statement from the trust, which still proposed the need for 180 spaces.
Mr Hardman that it was recommended for approval and one of the planning conditions for the new emergency treatment centre was that replacement spaces for those which were lost were added at the site.
The trust said 4,000 staff were employed at the infirmary and Whitehaven’s West Cumberland Hospital, depending on clinics and its current A&E department was built with capacity for 30,000 attendances a year and last year had an attendance level of 78,300.
Ward councillor Anne Glendinning (Castle, Labour) objected to the proposal and added: “We should take into account the residents’ needs.”
She said that she found parts of the supporting statement patronising and the applicant had made no attempt to compromise with the application.
Cllr Glendinning added: “They didn’t consider it at all they just said this what we need.”
A spokesman for the applicant said that parking at Cumberland Infirmary was something of a challenge and the proposal was an essential improvement to the site.
Councillor Bob Kelly (Millom, Labour) said he understood the lack of parking at the site and wondered if it would still be enough to satisfy demand.
He added: “I don’t think the changes proposed here will solve the problem. I must oppose this.”
Councillor John Mallinson (Houghton and Irthington, Conservative) said better public transport arrangements would help improve the situation and added: “I don’t think there’s anywhere else for the extra spaces to go.”
Councillor Tony Markley (Solway Coast, Conservative) said it was difficult for those from rural areas to travel to the hospital using public transport and it was an opportunity to extend the car park to meet demand for the people of Cumbria.
He proposed that they approve the application because it did not make sense to knock it back when everybody was saying it was difficult to park there.
Councillor Jimmy Grisdale (Seaton, Labour) said he felt it was needed and seconded the proposal.
Councillor Roger Dobson (Corby and Hayton, Lib Dems) said, with 4,000 members of staff between Carlisle and Whitehaven, the applicant would need to develop a long-term transport plan to address the parking issues.
When it was put to the vote four were in favour, two were against and there was one abstention, and the motion was carried with the application granted approval.
The car park will be on grassland covering an area of 0.65 hectares, towards the north west corner of the site, to the west of the helicopter landing pad. Additional lighting would be provided as part of the development which is a necessary safety feature for the staff using the car park, said the report.
