Patients at one of Somerset’s main hospitals could soon find it much easier to park under proposals for a second multi-storey car park.
Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton was one of 40 hospitals which were to be rebuilt, enhanced or replaced as part of the new hospitals programme (NHP) instituted by Boris Johnson’s government in late-2020.
Patients and staff can currently use the Cedars multi-storey car park, operated by Q-Park, which opened at the southern edge of the hospital campus in October 2006.
The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, has now published plans for a second multi-storey car park, providing hundreds of additional spaces for staff, patients, carers and visitors.
The proposed car park will be built at the south-east corner of the hospital site, replacing the current Duchess 2 car park (near the day surgery) which is predominantly used by staff.
Delivering a new car park is part of the conditions for the new £87m surgical centre, which is currently under construction following the Treasury’s approval of the final business case in January 2021.
As well as providing additional car parking, the multi-storey will restore 140 parking spaces lost by the creation of the surgical centre – and will free up other land within the Musgrove site for future redevelopment.
Local residents can express their views on the proposals, and ask questions of senior NHS staff, on Wednesday afternoon (February 7), with a formal planning application expected to be submitted to Somerset Council by the early-spring.
Ian Boswall, director of redevelopment at the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is excellent news for patients, visitors and colleagues of Musgrove Park Hospital, and an important part of our future plans improving healthcare in Somerset.
“While we have been improving our facilities car parking spaces have been lost and its important that these are restored to improve the experience of our patients, visitors and colleagues alike.
“We look forward to hearing from residents and allaying any concerns they may have to progress the planning application and this development.”
The drop-in session will be held at the Taunton Conference Centre at Bridgwater and Taunton College on the A38 Wellington Road in Taunton on Wednesday (February 7) between 3:30pm and 7pm.
For more information on the proposals, visit www.somersetft.nhs.uk.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel