The hospital is suffering from serious parking problems

The Board of Health's request was agreed by the States following a lengthy debate on the issue, but without a recorded vote.

The Board had put forward the plans to help ease parking problems at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

Board president Deputy Peter Roffey said it was time to act.

The Board of Health had said it urgently needed permission to build the car park to accommodate nearly 230 vehicles.

It had proposed using a field alongside the new mental health care and continuing care units for parking.

But the Island Development Committee had opposed the plans, saying the Board of Health had not done enough to explore the possibility of building a multi-storey car park instead.