Fears over increased traffic as hospital plans expansion (From Harrow Times)

Harrow Nature Conservation Forum worried Wood Lane entrance to Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital could cause death of large number of animals

12:57pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News By Jaber Mohamed

Conservationists are worried major redevelopment at a hospital in Stanmore could harm wildlife because of increased traffic.

And residents living near the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital have also expressed concerns over expansion at the Stanmore site.

Harrow Nature Conservation Forum wants the hospital's main entrance to remain in Brockley Hill to protect animals that cross Wood Lane to Pear Wood.

It fears that if traffic increases on the narrow rural lane it would kill large numbers of grass snakes, toads, badgers and deer that cross the road.

Forum chairman Stephen Bolsover said: “We are broadly supportive of the hospital's plans but the main access route into the hospital should be from Brockley Hill.

“We don’t think it should be from Wood Lane because a lot of deer and badgers cross there all the time and it will lead to more accidents.

“Our opinion is that permission shouldn’t be approved if the main access is from Wood Lane.”

Mr Bolsover added that apart from this issue the plans were pretty good and he had had good discussions with the hospital.

In a consultation with Harrow Borough Council, people living near the hospital also expressed concerns about increased traffic on Wood Lane, which they say is already a “very busy and over-used route”.

Neighbours complained proposals would increase noise and the loss of trees would damage the character of the area.

The hospital has put forward redevelopment plans, saying more than half of its buildings are more than 60 years old and many wards were originally designed for temporary use during the Second World War.

It employs more than 1,300 people making it the area’s second largest employer and it will prioritise giving building contracts to local firms.

Harrow Borough Council's planning committee will debate the proposals at Harrow Civic Centre in Station Road tomorrow at 7.30pm.