A NEW car park intended to solve long-standing traffic problems at Brecon hospital has been given the go-ahead – but it’s unclear when it will be built.
Powys Teaching Health Board has been given planning permission for a 70-space staff car park on land above Breconshire War Memorial Hospital.
Though the new car park, which will be built on two levels on steep ground between the hospital and the adjoining ambulance station, will be limited to staff use the health board has said it will free up much needed space in its existing car park.
Currently hospital staff and visitors share one car park at the front of the hospitals while there have also been regular complaints commuters working in Brecon also occupy highly sought after spaces in the free to use car park.
Limited spaces in the car park has also led to parking pressures on Cerrigcochion Road and adjoining streets. The health board’s planning application said no disabled spaces would be included in the staff car park due to its steep location but extra disabled spaces will be created in the current car park.
The Brecon Beacons National Park’s planning department has granted planning as it said the application was within planning policies as the hospital is inside Brecon’s existing development area and the proposal is an extension of an existing community facility.
Planning officer Ben Phillips wrote in a report that previous attempts to solve parking pressures at the hospital have proved unsuccessful.
His report said: “The additional 70 spaces this application seeks to create are considered necessary to resolve current issues with on street and unauthorised parking. It is also understood that a number of measures have been trialled attempting to resolve these issues however none of them have proven effective.
It has been determined a resolution will only be achieved through the creation of a stand-alone staff car parking area.”
It was also noted that concerns over on-street and unauthorised parking associated with the hospital had been raised during consultations over a separate housing development land on land further to the north of the ambulance station off Cerrigcochion Road.
The Slwch Lane bridleway forms the northern boundary of the site and an “environmental buffer” will be created to “minimise the impact” on mature trees nearby.
Brecon Town Council has said it has welcomed the permission for the car park. The council had raised those concerns during the planning consultation and said it had previously raised concerns over congestion and road safety in the area.
Powys Teaching Health Board said the planning permission will allow it to expand the free parking available for patients, visitors and staff at the hospital.
A spokesman said with permission secured it can continue to work with the League of Friends and other local partners to identify how it can fund the project.
Last year the car park plan was put on the back burner as it wasn’t considered a funding priority for the health board.
The board has been told to improve parking at the hospital after it transferred stroke services from Bronllys to Brecon.
The spokesman said: “One of the main drivers for plans for additional car parking spaces is the health board’s success in bringing new clinics and treatment to BWMH. In recent years the hospital has been able to provide even more care closer to home for Powys residents.”