Hospital cure for parking chaos

Bosses at the hospital are in talks to buy a piece of land to create a 540-space staff car park.

They have also applied to Bolton Council to build the car park on the patch of land at Clare Court, in Exeter Avenue, close to the Farnworth complex.

Chiefs at the hospital say there are 410 too few spaces at the busy hospital and then hope to free up parking by creating the new staff car park.

The patch of land had been earmarked for a housing development, but owners are now in talks with the hospital.

The Royal Bolton Hospital is set to become a supercentre for maternity, women’s and children’s services.

A spokesman said: “This is a tentative application dependent on whether we purchase the land.

“If it were to go ahead, it would be a temporary surface.”

The plan is part of the £20 million Making It Better scheme, which is reorganising services for women, children and babies across Greater Manchester.

“Car parking is being kept under review due to policy changes such as Making It Better, and some hospital services potentially moving off site,” the spokesman added.

Clare Court was a temporary housing centre for the homeless and closed in 2006.

Chelford homes was granted permission in November, 2008, to build homes on the land, despite 13 formal objections.

The plan was to create a development of three and four-bedroom homes but the plans were mothballed in the recession and work has still not started.

Chelford Homes managing director Graham Gemson said: “We sat down and held discussions with the NHS and we are looking into some possibilities.”

Plans were put on hold earlier this year to build a first floor “modular car park deck” over the existing Bridge Car Park in Kitchener Way.

If the plans go ahead, there will be a new access point to the car park from Kitchener Way, which has a speed limit of 15mph.

The existing Exeter Avenue entrance will be closed.

The hospital refused to reveal the cost for buying the land or how much the work would be.