PLANS for a temporary car park at the Grange Hospital have taken a step forward as proposals to address its environmental impact have been submitted.

The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which runs the Cwmbran hospital, was granted planning permission for a temporary 150 space car park next to the existing overflow car park in May. It is the nearest A&E department to Abergavenny and opened in 2020. But the addition of temporary parking spaces still only offers less than half of the number of spaces that will be lost while work is ongoing in the area.

It is required to compensate for the temporary loss of 320 parking spaces while work takes place to add solar panel coverings to the existing main car park.

A condition of the planning permission for the temporary car park has required the health board to set out what biodiversity mitigation and enhancements it will carry out before it is brought into use.

It has now submitted a 30 page report, written by ecologists, detailing its proposals to Torfaen Borough Council’s planning department which must approve the plans.

The report confirms creating an access between the existing overflow and temporary car park has required the permanent removal of a section of hedgerow, scrub and associated vegetation.

The temporary surfacing of the additional parking area is intended to be reversible.

It is intended to plant some 20 metres of new native species-rich hedgerow to the north-west of the temporary car park with a wildflower grassland created immediately east of the proposed native hedgerow extending towards retained mature trees.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

The council’s ecologist has confirmed the proposed lighting accords with good-practice guidance for bats.