Stafford Hospital campsite to become car park
A new car park will be built on land at Stafford Hospital where protesters have been camping for two months under new plans revealed today.
Some 267 spaces would be created on fields opposite the Weston Road hospital.
Bosses say it will cope with a predicted increase in outpatients when the University Hospital of North Staffordshire takes over the running next month.
The campaigners fighting to save services at the site set up the camp 73 days ago and say they have no intention of leaving.
See also: New name for Stafford Hospital.
But the car park would be constructed on the land where their rows of tents currently stand.
Despite services such as the consultant-led maternity unit and the children's ward being moved from Stafford, UHNS is ploughing money into outpatient services there. There will be more day case surgery carried out tat Stafford and an elderly assessment unit is being built.
See also: Petition launched to save maternity unit at Stafford Hospital.
A planning application for the car park has been submitted to Stafford Borough Council and will be considered in the coming weeks.
Julian Porter, who started the Support Stafford Hospital camp, said protesters would not be deterred by the plans.
He said: "We will not stand in the way of something if it is for the good of the hospital but we will wait and see what happens next."
Mid Staffs spokeswoman Claire Hall said: "Stafford Hospital has proposed to provide a new section of temporary car park for a maximum of three years which staff, patients and visitors could use.
See also: Dozens quit amid Stafford Hospital staff crisis.
"The area would then be dismantled to enable it to revert back to its current use as a grassed area. The new temporary car park would add 267 additional spaces to improve traffic flow around the site and ensure visitor car parking is easily accessible, taking into account the potential increased traffic due to increased outpatients visiting as well as diagnostic services to and from University Hospital North Staffs.
"It will also provide car parking while refurbishment work is taking place and when any temporary accommodation is located on the existing car parking."
