A highly anticipated multi-storey car park developed by Prime has now opened at Dorset County Hospital, creating valuable parking provision for the Trust’s staff, patients, and visitors.
Delivered in partnership with construction company Willmott Dixon, the structure hosts a total of 654 car parking spaces, including 12 EV charging points, with an additional 56 passive EV spaces installed for further EV expansion in the future. The project improved access around the hospital’s site through new cycle routes, a pay on exit management system and the widening of key roads to reduce bottlenecks. The new car park will also allow the Trust to improve disabled parking across the wider hospital site.
As well as creating much needed parking infrastructure, the project has also enhanced the local environment by delivering a biodiversity net gain of more than 10%. Around the car park a wildlife corridor was created, planted with hedgerows and wildflowers, providing a buffer zone between vehicle movement and wildlife movement. Bird boxes, hedgehog nesting boxes and insect friendly foliage were also installed.
Further to the biodiversity net gain, the Willmott Dixon team donated and planted 600 tree whips in addition to 200 whips already planted on the rapidly emerging new community woodland at Kings Road in Dorchester. The sustainability initiative was supported by Dorchester Town Council and volunteers from People First Dorset, Employ My Ability, The GAP Ecotherapy Project, Thomas Hardye School and Dorset Mind, a local mental health charity.
The community and hospital staff played a crucial role in choosing the local landscapes and landmarks that appear on three sides of the car park. Images of Portland Bill, Durdle Door and Corfe Castle can be seen on the perforated metal panels.
The creation of the multi-storey car park at Dorset County Hospital will allow the Trust to expand its clinical facilities on site, providing additional services to the local community. Willmott Dixon are currently on-site remodeling and expanding the emergency department.
Guy Kippen, Development Manager at Prime, said, “As the Hospital’s Strategic Estates Partner, we are pleased to see this project completed. As well as improving the staff, patient and visitor experience, the building adds to the architecture of Dorchester with eye-catching artwork as part of the external envelope, chosen by the hospital staff and local residents, which reflects the County served by the hospital.
“It also unlocks land for the delivery of the Your Future Hospital masterplan, which will provide real improvements to the services delivered to the local community. The next phases of the masterplan are already being worked up, with an outline planning application having been submitted earlier this year.”
Mark Addison, Dorset County Hospital Chairman, said, “The construction of the multi-storey car park marks a major milestone in our plans to develop our hospital site. As well as improving parking for our patients, staff and visitors, the car park will free up the space we need to expand our clinical facilities and allow us to continue to provide outstanding care for years to come. Thank you to Prime and Willmott Dixon for the design and building work, especially the plants, bird boxes and bee blocks that promote local biodiversity and the perforated panels featuring images of Dorset landmarks that reflect our beautiful county.”
Richard Poulter, managing director for Willmott Dixon’s Central South region said: “We are delighted to handover this integral project, creating much needed parking provision at Dorset County Hospital for its staff, patients and visitors.”
“Being able to deliver a biodiversity net gain of more than 10% has been a key aspect of the project and forms an important part of our ‘Now or Never’ 2030 sustainability strategy, whereby alongside a series of sector-leading sustainable building and carbon reduction initiatives, we also pledge to deliver environmental net gains on our projects and enhance the communities we work in by planting more than 10,000 trees each year.”
