A temporary car park could be built at Hillingdon Hospital by next year, helping to end queuing among staff and visitors, if planning bosses give the go-ahead.

The development would create an extra 89 spaces for the next five years, added to the existing car park's 390 spots.

Planning officers at Hillingdon Council have recommended the plans for approval and a committee is scheduled to make a decision before Christmas.

Hospital bosses say the project could be completed by summer 2015, if given planning permission.

They say it would provide 'much-needed' additional car parking, helping to alleviate problems caused by vehicles queuing on Pield Heath Road.

Steve Watkins, a spokesman for the Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said: "Adequate parking facilities are a challenge for most hospitals and Hillingdon is no exception.

"The hospital is well-served by public transport but a lot of patients still arrive by car and have to queue for entry during peak hours.

"This does contribute to congestion on Pield Health Road and the Trust expects the additional spaces will help ease congestion."

The hospital's current car park is shared between staff and visitors, who often have to fight for space, causing morning tailbacks.

The proposed 2,096 sq m temporary car park would be built above the existing one, with separate areas for the two sets of drivers.

In total, bosses anticipate that it would house 191 staff spaces and 288 for visitors, although these numbers have yet to be finalised. Disabled visitors would be encouraged to continue using the existing 24 disabled spaces near to the hospital entrance.

Drivers would continue to access the site from Pield Heath Road and the barriers currently installed would be upgraded, with drivers paying on exit.

Under the plans, the additional car park would remain for five years, while bosses consider options for a more permanent arrangement.

The construction cost has yet to be determined.

As part of the plans, improvements would be made to the car park entrance, including a hedge being planted along the Pield Heath Road frontage. Nearby homes would be screened by existing and new landscaping, the hospital trust says in its application.

The proposed decked car park, which would include two ramps and two stairways, would be set back from both Pield Heath Road and Royal Lane, which also provides access to the site.