A BUSINESS has offered to add levels to a planned car park on Weippin Road to help solve parking problems at Redland Hospital.
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The option of either private or state government parking raises the prospect of people having to pay for parking, as is the case at other government hospitals.
Sentinel Property Group, which owns Cleveland Business Park opposite Redland Hospital, has plans to build a 331-space park but has suggested that it could expand this to 500 spaces.
Sentinel managing director Warren Ebert said their single-level car park was shovel-ready and could be delivered by Christmas.
"We are prepared to work with all levels of government to resolve the hospital's parking crisis and can make it happen quickly and in a cost-effective way."
Mr Ebert said the car park could be built for a fraction of the $36 million estimated by Queensland Health for the multi-storey car park proposed for the hospital.
"We believe it could be developed for less than 20 per cent of the suggested cost directly across the road," Mr Ebert said.
"Sentinel is prepared to develop the car park and provide the funding if that would assist in solving the parking problem."
Asked if this could mean people would have to pay for parking, a Sentinel spokesperson said at the moment there was just an offer to use some of the land on the business park site for a car park.
"There could be a range of options beyond that but it depends on what the government wants to do if they were interested in Sentinel's offer," the spokesperson said.
Health Minister Steven Miles has been asked to comment on the offer.
Mr Ebert said the existing pedestrian crossing could be used from the site opposite the hospital, or the crossing could be relocated if necessary.
Mr Ebert said there were safety issues for hospital night shift workers having to park far from the hospital in poorly lit areas surrounded by bushland.
"There are cars parked illegally along Weippin Street, in the hospital grounds and even on our site," he said.
"Our tenants advise that it can be extremely difficult at times to find parking."
Mr Ebert said there were land constraints for the Redland public and Mater private hospitals.
"We can solve this for them today," he said.
He said Sentinel's solution meant no demolition was required so there would be no negative impact on hospital activities.
"It is a clear work site not interrupted by constant movements of hospital-related vehicles," he said.
"Construction would not require any change to traffic patterns or movements in and out of the hospital or along Weippin Street," he said.
Mr Ebert said only 24 per cent of the 97,820 square metre business park site was used.
The property is home to Fisher and Paykel's office and warehouse and Queensland Health offices.
