PLANS to build a pre-operative assessment block at the Royal Berkshire Hospital have been approved — despite complaints from councillors that hospital parking provision is “an abomination”.

The proposal, which was given the rubber stamp at the March 12 committee meeting, is for the erection of a two-storey unit south of the hospital on Craven Road as well as alterations to the south block car park.

The hospital’s Addington Road exit will also be closed to allow for widening of the existing entrance on the same street to accommodate two-way traffic.

But despite granting planning permission to the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, councillors said the hospital should also be tackling its “major parking problem”.

Councillor Jan Gavin, in whose Redlands ward the institution stands, said: “We of course welcome this investment but I am very concerned about how the trust is managing car parking because right now the hospital provides inadequate parking.

“It has three users of parking — staff, patients and visitors — and if you know this area you’ll see cars roaming around looking for spaces. Cars crawl around the car park level after level looking for somewhere to park. People are anxious before they even get to the hospital and this has led to a level of anxiety that is unacceptable.”

The car parking provision on the site following the new development, including the existing Craven Road car park, will include 1,290 spaces with 507 spaces for the public, 683 spaces for staff, 66 spaces for the disabled and 34 short stay spaces for drop-off and pick-up. Hospital staff also use 120 spaces in Queen’s Road car park.

But Cllr Tony Page questioned the need for so much staff parking. He said: “This hospital may be experts in health but they are not experts in managing parking. The fact is that the existing parking site is abominably managed.”

The ward will sit approximately 48 metres from residential homes on Greenlands Court and Addington Road.