This is the first image of Southend Hospital's £100million planned redevelopment.

The plans, which include a 900-space multistorey car park and the extension of three wings, were given outline planning permission by members of Southend Council's development control committee with minimal debate.

Hospital chiefs said they were relieved the first hurdle had been cleared - but it is the first of many.

Speaking after the meeting, David Walsh, director of facilities at the hospital, said: "This is the first step in what is going to be a long, drawn-out process.

"We hope that we can take Southend Hospital forward for the next 20 years.

"The plan is to make sure we have new and better facilities before we remove any existing ones. It is the 75th anniversary of the hospital this year and some of the buildings have been around since then.

"So it is definitely something that is worthwhile."

The biggest addition to the hospital itself will be the £53million five-storey extension to the Cardigan wing, which takes in general medical wards and other units such as urology and gynaecology, and would be expanded by 15,000sq m.

Among the changes are plans to leave fewer beds in a number of wards, so patients have greater privacy.

The proposals also include significant extensions of the Prittlewell wing, which houses wards including oncology, and acute and critical care, and the Carlingford wing, which has the cardiac unit and day-stay wards.

One of the biggest benefits for patients and visitors will be the planned multistorey car park and new internal road, to deal with growing traffic and parking problems.

However, some concerns were raised at the meeting about the car park and the impact it could have on families living nearby.

James Clinkscales (Lib Dem, Blenheim Park) said: "I'm not against this development. It is about time we stopped every now and then just adding bolt-ons to the site.

"This will make things run more smoothly and the hospital more user friendly.

"However, with a car park of this size, there will be an impact on the environment."

The 900-space multistorey car park will be built on a site which currently has space for 300 cars.