A hospital plans to build a new five-storey staff car park to offset an overall loss in parking spaces as part of a wider redevelopment.

Brent Council approved plans to build a new car park for staff at Northwick Park Hospital that will house almost 700 vehicles.

The scheme also includes the building of a new energy plant to serve the southern part of the hospital and a new access road to the car park.

It is part of an overall restructure in terms of staff parking, which will ultimately lead to a net loss of 306 spaces across the site.

A council report noted that this is in line with policies aimed at encouraging the use of sustainable transport.

Brent Council highways officer John Bowman explained that there are proposals to limit parking permits to those who live more than 45 minutes away via public transport or for whom access to a car is essential.

He pointed out that, currently, more than half of staff car park permit holders live within 45-minute public transport radius and that this will be addressed as part of any future travel plan.

“The masterplan will improve cycling and walking access to the site, while there’s a condition to provide cycle parking for staff,” he said.

“In my dealing with health centres, they are amenable to encouraging active travel due to the health benefits. When we include this in travel plans, they do it and do it well.”

There were some concerns about the scale and design of the new car park, but council officers said it was “acceptable” for the location and would be suitably incorporated into the existing landscape.