New multi storey car park
Kettering General Hospital is set to seek planning permission for a proposed new multistorey car park as part of works needed to enable any future site development.
The reason the hospital is proposing to develop a 650 space seven-storey car park, close to the railway bridge entrance to the hospital- is because this would be needed to enable the hospital to be ready on the outcomes of the New Hospital Program review.
In September 2024, Kettering General Hospital was listed as one of 25 hospitals in scope for a review of rebuild funding as part of the Government’s Review of the New Hospital Programme (see Government website) with announcements expected in 2025.
The space that needs to be vacated to enable the rebuild is the area currently taken up by the hospital’s two main car parks, A and B hence the lost car parking capacity needs to be replaced with the multi-storey car park
Location
The proposed site for the new hospital car park is at the east of the hospital estate, adjacent to the Discharge Lounge. It would be accessed via entrance 4, near the railway bridge off Rothwell Road, cars would exit by the same route. The proposed car park is not bringing additional traffic to the site but built to serve existing users, redistributing traffic going to and from hospital to an alternative entrance.
Plans
The proposed build will be a seven-storey car park providing 650 spaces, with 70 disabled spaces. The car park would be built into the hospital hill. The level change across the site means users will be able to exit the car park on foot at upper levels, coming out at the higher ground level of the main hospital buildings, via a footbridge. The car park will support disabled access for patients and visitors with internal lifts and a bridge to the main hospital building.
The Build
The car park would utilise roof mounted photovoltaic panels to provide solar power to the car park, with any surplus power made available to the hospital. We will explore the use of modern methods of construction, where possible. This can result in large portions of the building being constructed offsite which minimises disruption during the build and then delivered during low traffic times, The proposed building will be a high-performing and sustainable, low energy new build development, designed to achieve net zero carbon emissions.
Supporting Sustainability
The car park will include XX (ADD NUMBER) electric vehicle charging spaces.
It will provide secure parking for up to 124 bicycles. For those who need to freshen up after cycling into the hospital, there would be a shower block, encompassing 10 standard enclosed shower rooms, 2 accessible shower rooms, toilets, lockers and drying cupboards.
Our Green Spaces
Unavoidably, some green space will be lost in the development of this car park, however we have committed to delivering 15% more green space. We will achieve this by developing a small meadow area to the rear of the building and creating wildlife habitats such as bird and bat boxes within body of the building.
Next Steps
If the planning application is approved, working with our partners Prime we aim to begin work on-site in first half of 2025 and finish in autumn 2026, a total build period of 16 months.