A major milestone has been reached in plans for a new hospital in King’s Lynn after government approval was granted for a multi-storey car park at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust.
The full business case for the project has been approved by the Joint Investment Committee of the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, allowing the scheme to move into the construction phase.
Hospital leaders say the car park is a vital enabling project because it will free up the current main car park site, where the new hospital building will eventually be constructed.
The new facility will provide 1,335 parking spaces across six levels and has been designed with larger parking bays, automatic number plate recognition technology and smart signage showing available spaces. Patients and visitors will also be able to pay on exit.
Preparation work has already begun, including the relocation of the hospital bus stop closer to the main entrance. Further site preparation is expected to start in early June, with construction of the multi-storey car park due to begin at the end of July.
Natalie Forrest, Chief Programme Officer for the New Hospital Programme, described the approval as a significant step towards delivering a modern and sustainable replacement hospital for West Norfolk.
Peter Cox said the decision was excellent news for patients and staff, adding that the scheme had been designed to meet local needs while also setting a national benchmark for future hospital car parks.
Josie Baldry said contractors could now continue preparations ahead of the main construction phase.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is one of a number of NHS hospitals built using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and has been prioritised by the government for replacement through the national New Hospital Programme.
The project is being developed alongside plans for a new hospital at James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Gorleston, with both schemes now managed through a single Norfolk and Waveney hospitals programme designed to deliver modern healthcare facilities for future generations.
