MP Theresa Villiers has welcomed plans by Barnet Hospital to build a new multi-storey car park after she campaigned on behalf of local residents fed up with staff and visitors parking in local residential streets.
The Royal Free NHS Trust, which runs the hospital site in Wellhouse Lane, is putting together plans which include a multi-storey car park. These have already been discussed in principle with Barnet Council and a planning application is expected to be submitted this autumn.
“I have been pressing the hospital to introduce more parking for staff and visitors because of the concern felt by local residents about overspill parking outside their homes. It is great news that the trust is now actively planning to deliver this,” said Theresa.
“There is still some way to go before a new car park is actually built, and any planning application to build on hospital grounds would have to be carefully considered to ensure it is in tune with the surrounding area. But these plans are welcome progress towards tackling long running problems for people living in streets around Bells Hill and Wood Street who often struggle to find places to park because of the sheer numbers of hospital staff, patients and visitors.
“The expansion of Barnet Hospital in recent years was much-needed by the local community, but the knock-on effect on parking has to be addressed. Over many years I have called on the hospital to maximise available parking within their grounds. For example, in November I urged them to consider building a multi-storey car park.
“I hope that these tentative plans for a new car park will be delivered. In the meantime, I will be carefully monitoring plans for a controlled parking zone in various roads around the hospital. If this works well then there will be a strong case to extend it to other roads affected by overspill hospital parking.”