Fire engines ‘will not be hindered’
Access from a planned car park in Washington will be blocked when fire engines need to use nearby routes.
Proposals for a new car park at an NHS-operated facility in Washington will not affect emergency services based nearby, bosses have promised.
Plans to create spaces for 110 vehicles, as well as the installation of security fencing, access gates and external lighting Glover Industrial Estate were submitted to Sunderland City Council earlier this year.
The proposals, from QE Facilities Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary company of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, are linked to the twostorey industrial building Spire House and also include the “stopping up” of an existing public right of way to the south of the site.
This building is described as a “commercial warehousing, logistics and conferencing hub.”
Vehicles would access the car park via a one-way access point to the south east, from Spire House, and exit via the access road to Washington
Community Fire Station, to the north.
According to a design and access statement from the applicant, car park exit gates will be linked to the fire station alarm system and will stay closed when fire engines are exiting the station.
The document adds: “Secure parking will be provided by way of new mesh perimeter fencing to match the existing and new automatic sliding vehicle gates at the entry and exit of the site.
“There is also the addition of a pedestrian gate to the south east entry point of the site to connect with the adjoining Spire House site.
“It is proposed that the existing footpath within the
site will be stopped up and an alternative route, 1800mm wide, will be provided to the perimeter of the site in the north-west/north of the site to connect the footpath on Spire Road to the footpath on the eastern boundary. ”
QE Facilities was established by the Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust to provide a range of non-clinical estates and facilities services.
According to a statement on the QE Facilities website, Spire House is the base for the QE Transport team, as well as offering conferencing and training facilities.
A decision on the car park plan is expected to be made by March.