HEALTH chiefs are close to agreeing a deal to sell Winchester ambulance station and nearby car parking.

The Hampshire Chronicle understands a price has been agreed with a developer for the site off Romsey Road.

But the sale will not be finalised until it has been rubber- stamped by bosses at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), which jointly owns the site.

The sale will include the Queens Road ambulance station and a 34-space car park nearby, currently used by hospital staff.

It comes just weeks after the Chronicle revealed the RHCH was in advanced negotiations to sell off a 1.89-acre plot in Burma Road. The site, which currently hosts an orthodontics department and the hospital radio volunteers, is intended to provide a new university accommodation block.

Louise Halfpenny, a spokeswoman for RHCH, said: “The site has been marketed and the sale has been recommended to the trust board.

“This process will not conclude for at least another month as due diligence and external scrutiny to the price and process will need to be completed.”

The opening of the park and ride site at Bushfield has encouraged trust managers to reduce the amount of parking at the RHCH.

SCAS revealed plans to sell its station last year and instead position ambulances at strategic standby points around the city.

Unions criticised the move saying it was far better for staff to return to a proper facility inbetween jobs.

Despite negotiations being at an advanced stage with developers, SCAS has still not secured a site to use as a standby location.

SCAS spokeswoman Michelle Ullett, who ruled out any job losses as a result of the proposed changes, said: “We can confirm that negotiations are still ongoing with the developers for the site at Queens Road,Winchester, and we are hoping to come to an agreement in the near future.

“We are looking at a number of options which are in close vicinity to the current ambulance site, to use as a standby point.

“We would like to emphasise that this will not decrease cover in the area, furthermore we would not be in a position to move to the new site until a standby location has been confirmed.”

One logical standby point could be Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service’s (HFRS) new station, which is currently under construction in Easton Lane.

But Bob Ratcliffe, HFRS area manager, said: “Like all public services we look at sharing resources, but we have not had an approach or request from the ambulance service.”

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