Plans underway to extend main entrance at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust has applied to Portsmouth City Council for a lawful development certificate for the two-storey Harvey Road extension.

'As a teaching hospital with a reputation for award-winning research and development, the hospital strives to enhance the facilities it offers through the delivery of this new lecture theatre for staff, students and doctors,' a planning statement submitted by the trust says.

'The remainder of facilities provided are for the hospital to enhance their on-site facilities.'

It says the building would 'likely' be of a design similar to the contemporary existing hospital building.

Below the first floor lecture theatre, the extension would allow the construction of a new shop, food shop and staff changing room alongside a new lobby area.

Planning laws introduced in 2015, and extended last year, allow hospitals, schools and prisons to carry out smaller smaller without the need for full planning permission from local authorities.

The certificate of lawful development determines whether the trust proposals for the 10-metre entrance extension are legal under these rules. The council has set a deadline of May 2 for reaching a decision on it.

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