Hospital proposes parking solution

Torbay Hospital is running out of parking space

A disused tip could provide the key to a multi-million pound expansion plan for a Devon hospital.

Torbay Hospital's proposals for a £55m scheme were rejected by councillors in August due to concerns about parking.

But South Devon Healthcare Trust, which runs the hospital, has now submitted plans for a giant park-and ride-scheme.

If approved, it will be situated on Torbay Council-owned former tip land off Riviera Way at Barton and provide 600 parking spaces.

Parking problems

The trust says the park-and-ride option was recommended as the way forward by an independent report.

It will now be discussed by Torbay Council's development committee next month.

Torbay Hospital currently has 1,300 parking spaces and says its parking problems are no worse than those faced by all South West hospitals.

The hospital deals with about 330,000 patients a year.

But that is rising by about 10% every year and the hospital is running out of parking spaces for patients, visitors and 3,000 staff members.