A PRIVATE parking company has applied for planning permission to retain a car park management system at a NHS treatment centre.

Parking Eye Ltd made the application for its car park management system at the Durham Diagnostic Treatment Centre, which is run by City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, at Belmont Industrial Estate, on the outskirts of Durham.

The car park has been in use since last year but the company has applied to retain an automatic number plate recognition camera to monitor the entrance and exit of the car park, which it says will reduce car park abuse.

It has also asked for permission to keep signs giving details of the management system, and a payment kiosk.

The treatment centre opened last July and provides urology, renal and ophthalmology services, as well as ear, nose and throat, oral and maxillofacial surgery.