The major overhaul of Cornwall’s main hospital site continues with plans to relocate a number of departments into a new building and change the car parking set up.

The new three-storey building at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro would be created on part of an existing patient car park, resulting in the permanent loss of some spaces and a total of 141 spaces out of use while work is carried out.

As such a shuttle bus scheme is being worked up, and in the long-term there is the suggestion of a multi-storey car park, although this is a future plan.

The current application revolves around an extension to Porthcurno House, the existing microbiology department.

Microbiology would relocate into the new building, along with the pathology department from another part of the site, while “minor alterations” to the current building would allow it to accommodate the mortuary and relocated haematology outpatients department.

The changes are necessary to allow for demolition work on department buildings currently within the ‘Link Block’, ahead of the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital being built.

In a planning application to Cornwall Council, Stride Treglown writes on behalf of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust to say: “The departments being relocated include the mortuary, the haematology outpatients department, blood sciences and elements of histopathology.

“The vision is to create a single pathology department building within the new building envelope.”

It goes on to say that initially the development of the pathology building would result in 141 car parking spaces (99 standard and 42 accessible) being removed from the patient car park to the west and south-west of Trelawny Wing.

“Given that the proposed building will be situated in the north of the current car park, some of these parking spaces will be removed permanently from this location.

“The current southern section of the same car park will be needed as a construction compound for the new building, necessitating the temporary removal of further spaces.

“The Trust place great importance on maintaining accessible car parking access for those who require it.

“As such, it has been identified that the current overflow car park, to the north west of the current microbiology building, will be replanned to act as a mobility hub, complete with a shuttle bus and new bus stop. A separate planning application for these works is expected to be submitted imminently.

“The majority of standard car parking spaces removed from the car park to the west of Trelawny Wing, and from the site of the mobility hub, will be re-accommodated in an extension to the ‘Gravel Pit’ car park, at the north of the hospital site. A separate application for planning permission for a temporary period has been submitted to secure this extension.”

It is stated that across the whole of the hospital site, a total of 192 car park spaces will be removed as a result the MRI / oncology, pathology, and Women & Children’s Hospital developments.

The Gravel Pit extension application proposes 176 new standard spaces, and Stride Treglown states: “It is intended that the shortfall, 20 spaces, will be addressed via new travel plan measures, including wider and stronger encouragement of the use of the nearby Park & Ride.

“Once construction is complete, 13 accessible spaces will be re-instated in the main car park to the west of the Trelawny unit and south of the pathology unit. Most accessible spaces will remain in the overflow car park.

“In the longer term, the Trust will be looking to develop new on-site parking as part of wider redevelopment proposals. This is likely to include the provision of a multi-storey car park, to make better use of the space available within the site.”

The new building would be around 3,100 square metres, including pathology labs of various types, specialist analysis areas, offices, staff rest areas and storage areas.

The demolition of the old department would not take place until after the opening of the new building.

It is expected that it would take around three years to complete, including enabling works followed by above-ground construction.

The initial target for completion was January 2026, but with planning approval still being sought this date may be pushed back slightly.

To the east of the proposed building is the site of the recently approved extension to Trelawny Wing, which is currently under construction, while to the south is part of the hospital’s main car park.

Pre-application advice on the new pathology building was received from Cornwall Council officers in 2020, with feedback being that the proposal would “bring about significant benefits for Cornwall, in terms of modernising facilities and enabling the relocation of departments to make way for the construction of the new Women and Children’s Hospital.”

However, a decision on the full planning application is yet to be taken.

See more on the plans on the Cornwall Council planning portal, reference PA23/05156.