CLINICIANS at Dorset County Hospital are urging members of the public to support multi-storey car park plans for the site after the proposals were recommended for refusal.

They said they were 'disappointed' that council planning officers were recommending the car park proposals be thrown out, claiming it is the 'key' to unlocking the expansion of key clinical services on the site.

The hospital has been allocated £62.5 million of government funding to expand services as part of the national Health Infrastructure Plan.

The first phase of the proposal is to build the multi-storey car park, before the emergency department and intensive care unit is expanded and an integrated care hub is created.

Despite the plans receiving overwhelming support, council planning officers have recommended permission is refused for the multi-storey car park because of the scale and mass of the development.

Nick Johnson, director of strategy, transformation and partnerships at DCH, said: "We are of course extremely disappointed that our scheme has not been recommended for approval but we await the decision of the planning committee."

Clinicians are now appealing for the public to show support for the development by commenting on the planning application and filling in a support form on the hospital's website.

Mr Johnson added: "As well as improving healthcare services for our population we are also committed to our role in benefitting the local economy. We will work closely with our contractors to make sure local people are employed and local suppliers are used for our building programme.

"We are also planning to develop other land on our site for local key worker and affordable housing.

"Building the multi-storey is the first phase of this ambitious, once-in-a-lifetime development and the key to unlocking the expansion of clinical services.

"Ultimately the planning permission decision is down to the planning committee so we are in the councillors’ hands now."

Dr Andrew Ball, consultant at DCH, said: "Without provision of a multi-storey car park it will be impossible to develop the site to enable us to provide a much needed expansion to the emergency department and critical care department."

You can register your support for the plans at https://dchft.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/dch-support

The planning application is due to be heard by the Northern Area Planning Committee on September 15 and can be viewed on the Dorset Council website.