A former Brighton girls’ school is to be converted into flats for doctors and nurses working at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
St Mary’s Hall in Eastern Road, Brighton, will also house offices for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Sussex.
Permission was given for the conversion at a meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council planning committee this week.
The committee insisted though that the swimming pool and tennis courts be kept in use and that there should be no overspill car parking on the tennis courts.
Another council committee, the health overview and scrutiny committee, has separately called for a review of parking at the Royal Sussex.
It flagged up problems at the crowded site including a shortage of spaces and long waits for staff, patients and visitors trying to find a parking space.
The hospital trust hopes to add 200 underground parking spaces during the revamp of the Royal Sussex site.
Councillors have also insisted on 50 parking spaces for bicycles on the St Mary’s Hall site.
The purchase of St Mary’s Hall – now owned by Roedean girls’ school – will help the hospital to keep functioning during the revamp.
The purchase is due to be completed soon and is expected to cost in the region of £10 million, although part of this figure may be set aside for converting the school buildings.
Roedean is expected to continue operating a junior school on the site.
