Plans to extend the waiting room of A&E at Darent Valley Hospital are to go before councillors tonight because of the loss of ambulance parking.

The 520 square-metre area currently consists of plants and shrubs, a canopy cover and parking for five ambulances.

The proposal involves providing a waiting room around three times the size of the existing one with 70 seats. Additional consultation areas will also be provided.

The current waiting room and consulting rooms would be converted into toilets.

Despite concerns, a report by the planning department states: “The proposal will result in the number of ambulance spaces being reduced from six to four and the loss of all three car parking spaces in this area.

“The hospital management are confident the area left over once the new extension is completed will be sufficient to cope with the number of ambulances typically calling in.

"Furthermore, the temporary ward, until recently, was located in the ambulance parking area and took up the same number of bays.”

If agreed, ambulances will drop off patients as normal and park further down on the hospital site.

Darent Valley Hospital opened in September 2000 to replace the previous West Hill and Joyce Green Hospitals.

The hospital is run by the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and is set within a 22 hectare site.