Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust granted planning permission for hospital multi-storey car park and cancer centre

Currently there are not enough parking spaces onsite at the hospital, which treats cancer patients from West Sussex, to meet the demands of staff, patients and visitors.

Furthermore, the existing surface level staff car park only has temporary planning approval. If this expired the Trust would experience a parking crisis.

Health and care property developer Prime is working with the Trust and Guildford Borough Council to create a long-term parking solution which provides 194 additional spaces on the site, giving staff a dedicated multi-storey car park that will free up more car parking on the main campus for patients and visitors.

Creating a multi-storey car park will also free up space on the land which can be used to create a new private oncology centre, providing state-of-the-art services and the very highest standard of care. The oncology centre would have its own dedicated car park.

Patients and staff of Royal Surrey County Hospital played an important role in the success of this application by offering their support during public engagement. Over 1,200 responses were received on the feedback survey that accompanied the online engagement event for the project. Half of these responses were from hospital staff and the remaining came from the wider community with 99% agreeing that more parking was needed at the Hospital.

Ross Dunworth, deputy chief executive at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust said: "As everyone knows we have struggled with parking over the years but the new car park will make a big difference.

"It has been a very long time coming but the new multi-storey will make it easier for our dedicated staff to get to work on time. It will also free up spaces on the hospital site to make it easier for our patients to park when attending Royal Surrey for their care.

"A big thank you to our local community, who backed us in the consultation phase and to Guildford Borough Council for its help to make this happen."

Bob Smaylen, development director for Prime said: "We’re delighted to receive planning approval and this is an important milestone for us and for the Trust.

"We look forward to working together on a development that will help solve current parking challenges and lay important foundations for future development of the hospital and its capacity to continue to meet the needs of patients, visitors and staff."

With permission now in place, building work is expected to start on the car park in Spring 2022 and it is anticipated to be operational in Spring 2021.