QEH shares new multi-storey car park proposals

QEH has today shared plans for a new multi-storey car park to support its compelling case for a new hospital. The Trust is looking to hear from local residents, patients, staff, stakeholders and partners about the proposal before midnight on Sunday 11 September.

An integral part of the plans to bring a new hospital to King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, the proposed multi-storey car park will help to address ongoing and well-recognised parking challenges and further improve the experience of patients, visitors and staff.

Ensuring that there is adequate car parking during the building works and once the new hospital is open is a particular focus for QEH as part of ensuring it is ‘investment ready’ for securing much-needed Government funding as part of the national New Hospital Programme.

Deputy Chief Executive of QEH, Laura Skaife-Knight, said: “We are delighted to share these exciting proposals with patients, the public, our stakeholders and partners and look forward to hearing their views and feedback between now and midnight on 11 September 2022.”

“Our plans for a new multi-storey car park will help to address the short term challenges we face with parking, as well as being a vital part of the delivery of a new hospital. To secure the £862m of Government funding we need for a new hospital, we must show we have plans in place to address any disruption that a major build on our existing site could bring by providing adequate car parking both during the building works and once the new hospital is open.”

QEH’s car park proposal is in line with the majority of new hospital schemes across the country which include plans for multi-storey car parks, recognising that for patients, visitors and staff, good access to parking has a significant impact on their overall hospital experience.

The proposed multi-storey car park would be built using the ‘Modern Methods of Construction’ principles that guide all NHS new builds. QEH’s developing plans for the car park include plenty of space to access vehicles for patients with reduced mobility, energy efficient LED lighting, a wheelchair area, natural ventilation and 24 hour CCTV. There will be spaces for patients, visitors, staff to charge their electric vehicles, with flexibility to increase this provision in the future as the Trust works to better understand and respond to the demand for electric charging points.

The proposed new multi-storey car park would be built in two phases:

• Phase one will see a new car park to serve the current hospital (in addition to the existing main car park). This is required now as demand is currently higher than available spaces. This phase will be developed in such a way that the initial phase one car park can remain operational while phase two is being built
• Phase two will follow when funding for a new hospital is announced (to replace the spaces lost when the main car park is developed)

Subject to funding and planning permission, phase one could be completed by early 2024 with phase two completed at the end of that same year.

More information about the proposals including a presentation, exhibition boards as well as images and graphics showing the plans in more detail can be found on the QEH website.

Local residents, patients, stakeholders and partners are also encouraged to complete a short questionnaire available here to share their views which will inform the Trust’s planning application.

There is still time for people to register for one of three events in September where they can hear more from QEH representatives about the new hospital and multi-storey car park plans and ask questions.

• Wednesday 7 September 10.30am to 12.30pm at Knights Hill Hotel in King’s Lynn
• Thursday 8 September 6.30 to 8.30pm at Knights Hill Hotel, King’s Lynn
• Friday 9 September 12 midday to 1pm, online using Zoom

Places can be booked here.

Notes for editors

• The Strategic Outline Case (SOC) for a new Queen Elizabeth Hospital was completed in June 2022 with unanimous support from partners and stakeholders across Norfolk and Waveney, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire
• The current hospital has reached end of life (national experts say the current hospital has a 2030 end of life deadline) due to being built from Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC)
• A new multi-storey car park is an integral part of the Trust’s plans for a new QEH. The engagement period on the car park proposals will run until midnight on Sunday 11 September 2022
• QEH is accepting feedback on the proposals via its dedicated email address: newhospital@qehkl.nhs.uk