Capsticks has played a key role in the completion and opening of two new multi-storey car parks at Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich and the City Hospital in Birmingham. The firm advised Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust on the redevelopment of both sites, which aim to provide easier access for everyone, meet higher patient demand and reduce congestion on residential streets.

The team at Capsticks was led by Partners Henry Matveieff and Lee Clarke. Henry leads Capsticks’ real estate team in Birmingham and Lee is a commercial / construction specialist who has worked closely with the Trust in relation to the development of the new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.

The six-storey car park at City Hospital provides 550 parking spaces, while the four-storey car park at Sandwell General Hospital offers 400. The new car parks benefit from a traffic circulation model with clearer navigation, as well as accessible parking, electric vehicle charging spaces and cycle bays. With both hospitals being land-locked, the particular challenge of this project was to create more space, move traffic closer to access roads and ensure that there was flexibility for future development, which is planned on the site.  

Henry Matveieff, real estate partner at Capsticks, said: “We were delighted to assist on this development. The multi-storey car park solution will create surplus space and provide additional development opportunities in order to maximise healthcare provision at the two sites, allowing the Trust to keep up with higher demand for healthcare services. A higher number of secure, energy-efficient parking spaces will improve the experience of everyone visiting and living near the hospitals.”  

Chris Archer, associate director of strategic development at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, said: “Capsticks advised the Trust on this multi-million pound deal to design, finance and build two multi-storey car parks and to find a car park operator for all of the Trust’s parking.

The contractual arrangements were particularly complex and the Trust were supported principally by Lee Clarke and Henry Matveieff and their teams. Lee and Henry worked very closely with the Trust team to advise at every stage of the procurement and contractual negotiation processes. Their advice was timely, responsive and proactive, appropriate, professional and personable and allowed the Trust to secure contracts that achieved the Trust’s objectives for the project. Not only did they turn the Trust’s objectives into contracts, they introduced critical issues that the Trust team had not considered, and were able to negotiate directly on the Trust’s behalf on contractual matters.

Full financial close on the deal was reached in August 2020, despite the impact of COVID-19 on working arrangements at the Trust, at Capsticks and for the other parties involved. Our experience has been such that Lee and Henry continue to be the “go-to team” that we approach for legal advice on other projects; it has been, and continues to be, a pleasure working with them.”

Richard Beeken, Chief Executive at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs the two sites, said: “We’re delighted to be opening these two multi-storey car parks which will significantly improve the quality of access for those coming to our sites. Attending hospital can be a stressful experience and it can be frustrating being unable to find a parking space. These facilities aim to take away that stress for our patients and visitors. It will also mean staff are able to park with ease when they arrive at work.”

Capsticks aims to be the firm of choice for organisations who work to make a difference. Our purpose is to be the legal advisers that clients want by their side, providing innovative and practical solutions tailored to our sectors’ unique challenges. Our lawyers work together as one team with similar values: putting people first, doing the right thing and always forward thinking.