New car park planned for University Hospital of North Midlands

University Hospitals of the North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust has received public funding to seek planning permission for a new staff car park at Grindley Hill Court.

Staff car parking is currently provided at the Royal Infirmary and Central Outpatients Department sites, but with the demolition of these sites – which are to be developed for much-needed local housing - now nearing completion, UHNM has been in search of a permanent car parking solution.

The Trust chose to acquire the Grindley Hill Court site, which sits adjacent to the Royal Stoke University Hospital, because it was considered the best local option for future expansion of hospital services and, earlier this year, it was granted public funding to purchase the land.

Grindley Hill Court currently houses NHS staff – including short-term and temporary staff – and if planning permission for a staff car park is granted, the Trust will provide residents with information to assist in finding alternative accommodation. 

The granting of planning permission will be subject to public consultation, which begins on 9 November, and UHNM is committed to actively engaging with local residents, hospital staff and stakeholders on this matter.

Lorraine Whitehead, Director of Estates, Facilities and PFI at the Trust, has said: “We are very pleased that public consultation for a new car park can now begin. The car park is an attractive proposition for the local area, and will improve NHS facilities for staff. Our plans will also form part of Project STAR, the Trust’s regeneration programme which aims to ‘power-up’ this part of Stoke-on-Trent.”

You can find out more about NHS plans for car parking and have your say by visiting the Trust website at www.uhnm.nhs.uk and pressing the “Project STAR” button on the home page.

A series of virtual town hall meetings will be held during the consultation period, which gives local residents and stakeholders the opportunity to hear directly from UHNM about future plans. They will be held on Tuesday 16 November, Wednesday 17 November Thursday 25th November. More information about these meetings can be found by visiting the Project STAR site also.