A hospital has been given the green light to expand its car park.
Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital – which provides healthcare for residents across the county – has been granted permission to add around 200 additional spaces for staff due demand exceeding current capacity.
Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital.
“Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital is a regionally significant resource as regards health provision. Not only does it serve the town, the second largest settlement in Lincolnshire, but also a wide hinterland and through its specialist services the whole county,” the Boston Borough Council planning officer statement read.
“However, the site is a crowded with a significant shortfall in staff parking capacity.
“This results in extensive parking at the side of internal roadways, hampering circulation on the site.
“As such the proposal would augment the efficient operation of the hospital and the provision of the services provided by the NHS to the community.”
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The gravel car park will be built on a 0.61 hectare area of land with access will be solely through the hospital’s existing Beach Car Park.
The proposed land formerly acted as a plant nursery, but after the tenants vacated the site it became a target for anti-social behaviour.
Former agricultural buildings on the site have now been cleared.
A planning statement provided by agent Oglesby and Limb explained: “There is now real pressure on the Pilgrim Hospital site for additional parking because the existing capacity has been exceeded.
“This addition is needed quickly to relieve pressure on the hospital and particularly on its delivery of services.”
The report concluded: “The proposal will augment the efficient operation of a strategically important community health facility and is sound in principle.
“It will integrate acceptable with the distinctive character of the locality, cause no adverse impacts to neighbour or public amenity or to highway safety, is capable of implementation without increasing the risk of flooding and can meet the required level of biodiversity net gain.”