A BLOCK of flats for the homeless could be pulled down to make way for much-needed car parking at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Bolton Council will review the future of Clare Court, which is used as temporary accommodation for the homeless. The site could be transformed into a car park for the heavily-congested hospital.

A "park and ride" scheme could also be introduced for staff which would mean a car park being built near Four Lane Ends and a minibus transporting workers to the Minerva Road site. It would create extra visitors' parking spaces near the hospital.

While all councillors have agreed that extra parking spaces are desperately needed, many are unsure about the feasibility of using the land at Clare Court, which is at the Plodder Lane end of the hospital.

Conservative Cllr John Walsh insisted the council start discussion swith the hospital management over the future of the land, but Cllr Margaret Clare, whose ward includes the hospital site, claimed such a move would be pre-emptive.

She said: "Is there any evidence that Clare Court will even close? None of the ward councillors have been made aware of this issue."

Cllr Noel Spencer, Executive member for housing, said: "No decisions have been taken, but we will enter into discussions over the future use of Clare Court and see how they unfold."

Parking pressures have become so acute that some patients receive appointment cards with the advice that they catch the bus or are dropped off outside the hospital because there are not enough parking bays.