Concerns over parking congestion push back nursing school's move

PLANS to relocate Derby's school of nursing have been delayed until next year because of concerns about parking.

Originally it was planned that a new home for the school, which is currently at the London Road Community Hospital, would be built at Royal Derby Hospital in time for it to open in September.

But those plans have been pushed back because city council planners need more information about the impact of traffic on the local area before deciding whether or not to approve the application.

A number of residents living near the hospital have objected to the plans, which show that there would be room for 40 bikes to be parked but no dedicated space for cars. This prompted concerns that students would park on nearby streets which have been congested with staff cars since May, when most services were transferred from London Road Community Hospital.

Initially, it was believed to be due to a shortage of parking permits at the hospital but residents say that, despite hundreds of extra permits being issued, the situation has not improved. Among those who lodged a complaint about the plans was Ellen Goodman, 43, of Muirfield Drive, close to the hospital.

She said: "I'm pleased they're not just going to go ahead with it because it will impact on parking.

"Now it depends on what they're going to do and whether or not they're going to look at it properly and do something sensible to sort it out."

A spokesman for Derby City Council said: "We are awaiting the review of a transport assessment, which arrived this week, to determine the impact the building will have on the surrounding highway, including access and parking matters."

The council hopes to decide whether or not to give the application the go-ahead at a planning control meeting on either February 25 or March 18.

A transport statement submitted with the planning application to Derby City Council says that, at present, although the majority of student nurses are not based at the hospital, they visit it regularly to work and study there.

A spokesman for the University of Nottingham, which is behind the project, said: "We hope that work will be able to start in the near future, allowing the school to open in early 2011."

The new £4.5m building would be used by up to 420 student nurses on a part-time basis and up to 52 staff.