LLRA have had further updates on activities at St George’s hospital:
Benbow Way, Vehicle & Pedestrian Access
In late December, ten pop up bollards were installed at the hospital entrance on Benbow Way and were left in the retracted position over the Christmas holiday period. The bollards will be raised at some point in the New Year, once the hospital is confident that all deliveries, visitors, emergency services and staff are fully aware that access to the site from Benbow Way is no longer possible. This should reduce hospital traffic on both Benbow Way and Carram Way and will encourage staff and visitors to use the Long Leys Road entrance to access the hospital.
The hospital has also put up signs at the Benbow Way entrance.
LLRA welcomes this approach which closes off vehicle access whilst still allowing pedestrian access to the Discovery Cafe and allows local residents to use the hospital grounds as a cut through to Long Leys Road. However, LLRA has also highlighted to the hospital that the measures are unlikely to fully eliminate parking issues on Carram Way when the hospital car parks are full. LLRA will review the situation again with the hospital when the access changes have had time to bed down.
Future Hospital Development Plans
LLRA understand that the hospital was unsuccessful in its recent bid for funding to further develop the St George’s site which involved the development of the area currently occupied by Trust House and Gervas House. Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust advises: “We will be going back to the drawing board to potentially look at how we can differently utilise the existing buildings and may consider a smaller development. We will keep you posted on this.“
LLRA have responded by saying that, to guide hospital thinking on future development, LLRA would prefer to see the brick frontage (containing the post box) together with the facade of Gervas House maintained; primarily as it is one of the most significant buildings of any age or distinction in the Long Leys area.
Note: A community consultation on the development of the Long Leys Neighbourhood Plan, likely to be in Summer 2019, will give all residents an opportunity to express their views on whether protecting Gervas House and other buildings should be included as a part of the Neighbourhood Plan.
I would be interested to know the history of St.St. George’s site, as my father was there after second world war and found on visiting what is known as St. Georg’es is an orange red brick building with letter box and heard there is a St. George’s Park with original site, but houses or flats been built with just a plaque. Can you tell me why the hospital with the letter box is called At. George’s but not original, although, looks might be a listed building as date is 1904.
Thei raises a personal query ad is important to me.
Hi Susan,
The City Hospital for infectious diseases first appeared on the 1904 map of the area. The 1933 map shows a small sanitorium which by 1948 had moved to the north of the hospital and was much more extensive (see map below).
On the 1967 map of the area, the sanitorium reference has been changed to mention the St George’s General Hospital, with the City Hospital still separate to the south. At some stage the City hospital area was renamed as part of St George’s hospital and in 2000 the sanitorium area and much of the old city hospital area was redeveloped for housing, with some buildings on Long Leys retained. This includes Gervas house, part of the old City Hospital, which was built in 1904. The surrounding housing area is known as the St George’s estate.
For further detail, including aerial views of the hospital from the 1950s see The Historical development of Long Leys.