A new £10million car park at the north-east’s flagship hospital could be a step closer to becoming a reality today as health chiefs meet to discuss the project’s financial case.
The NHS Grampian board will meet in Aberdeen to finalise a budget for the new six storey building at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, made possible thanks to a £10.733million donation from Sir Ian Wood’s charity, the Wood Foundation, in May.
The charitable gesture was welcomed by politicians across the north-east last year.
But the UNISION union has called on the health board to look at ways to also increase staff parking spots.
German car park provider Huber has been selected to run the new facility which is expected to open next year.
A report to the board reads: “The provision of additional car parking capacity at the Forresterhill Health Campus has been desirable for many years, due to the problems faced by patients and visitors at peak periods.
“A condition of the donation is that the completed car park is only used by genuine patients and visitors to the hospital.
“Arrangements are currently being finalised which will see a combination of the use of technology by way of number plate recognition, and local parking patrols, to ensure that those people who were intended to benefit from the donation… gain priority access.”
Sir Ian Wood, chairman of The Wood Foundation, has said how “delighted” he is that the car park is moving forward.
“It’s a project the trustees, particularly my wife Helen, are very pleased and proud of and we are confident the significant new parking facility will help reduce some of the stress and anxiety for a lot of patients and visitors to the hospital,” he said.
A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said the board did not comment in advance of papers being discussed.