WR5
Car Parking and Access
Thank you for visiting our webpage to find out more about the project to improve parking and access at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
This page explains the background of the project, some of its key features and examples of what the finished car park may look like.
Background
The below page will give you information on Prime’s proposal to develop a new multi-storey car park adjacent to Worcestershire Royal Hospital, served by a new access road off Nunnery Way (A4440).
Prime is working alongside Worcestershire County Council to devise a parking and access solution which will ease traffic congestion on roads surrounding Worcestershire Royal Hospital and support the development of a new secondary school on land to the east of the hospital.
About Prime
Prime is a specialist health and care property developer, based at Wildwood Drive in Worcester.
We have a wealth of experience in delivering parking and access projects which transform the experience of staff, patients and visitors accessing hospital estates.
We believe community input is an asset to development and will seek to build close ties to the community as we work to design a solution that reflects the needs of local people.
About the project
Prime is working alongside Worcestershire County Council to create a joined up solution for the development of land to the east of Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
Worcestershire County Council is seeking to develop a new Secondary School to fulfil demand for school places. Plans for this facility were shared with the public last summer.
In the coming weeks it is intended that a joint planning application will be submitted for the school, a multi-storey car park, habitat areas and new access and exit road onto the Nunnery Way (A4440), which will allow entry to and exit from the car park and create the potential for a new “blue light” route for emergency vehicles to reach and leave the hospital.
Site
The site lies to the east of Worcestershire Royal Hospital, with Newtown Road to the north and Nunnery Way (A4440) to the east.
Worcestershire County Council propose to develop a new secondary school to the east of the site, with access and exit from Newtown Road.
The new multi-storey car park proposed by Prime would sit to the west of the site, partially on land currently occupied by surface level staff car parking.
It will be accessed via a new entry and exit point from a new road to be created off Nunnery Way, reducing journeys on Newtown Road.
Emergency vehicles would also be able to utilise this new road to travel to and from the hospital estate more rapidly.
The car park
What do we aim to deliver?
Demand for parking at Worcestershire Royal Hospital has been an ongoing challenge for staff, patients and visitors to the hospital.
Through Prime’s previous specialist experience, we have identified a solution to current congestion issues and plan to develop further car parking next to the hospital to increase parking capacity.
We will be asking planners to support proposals by granting outline planning permission for the facility, which approves the development in principle and it being accessed via Nunnery Way (A4440). We will then be working alongside the hospital, County Council and local community to develop more detailed designs before submitting more detailed plans in 2025.
To left, examples of Prime’s previous car park developments.
Access
Roads surrounding Worcestershire Royal Hospital are currently prone to congestion at peak times. It can also be difficult for emergency vehicles to access and exit the site swiftly due to the volume of traffic movements.
We propose to use the new access and exit road being created as part of the Secondary School off Nunnery Way (A4440), opposite Nunnery Park Service Station.
As well as the school community car park, the new road would serve the new multi-storey car park and existing staff car park only. In total the route will provide access to 1,315 parking spaces, removing these car journeys from Newtown Road and the roads within the hospital estate.
The new junction would provide access to and exit from the wider hospital for “blue light” vehicles only.
Ecology
We recognise that whilst the wider site is an ideal physical location to provide a solution to a number of infrastructure challenges in the area, it is also currently providing a habitat for wildlife.
We are seeking to maintain a rich habitat by enhancing land within the site, creating a dedicated area for wildlife to thrive.
Our programme for the development includes a pause to allow for the translocation of existing wildlife to this new area to conserve the biodiversity. The wildlife will be moving within its current environment and therefore not creating a negative impact on current inhabitants of the area.
Prime is committed to ensuring the biodiversity of the site remains. Working together with Worcestershire County Council the proposals include an enhanced habitat area which will achieve a minimum of a 10% net gain from what is currently on the whole school and parking site.
Your experience
We know that the site as it stands is enjoyed in particular by local walkers. Please be assured that existing access on foot through the site to the Worcester Woods Country Park will be maintained.
We appreciate, however, that this development is going to change your experience of walking through the area, and that for dog walkers there will be an impact of a longer journey to open space.
To make this journey more entertaining for four legged visitors we propose the creation of a dog activity trail providing an exciting walk with weaving and jumping obstacles for pets to enjoy enroute to the meadow.
Next steps
Thank you for visiting our page to learn more about the project. The next stage for the project team is to apply for planning consent. This webpage will remain live for your reference and will be updated when there is news on progress.