WARRINGTON Hospital does not have planning permission for the controversial number plate identify cameras that have resulted in thousands of car parking fines.

The hospital and Highview Parking, who run the car park at the hospital, have been under fire and last week said that they would temporarily switch the cameras off while signage was improved and refund many of the fines.

Now it has been revealed that the hospital does not have planning permission for the cameras or signage installed, meaning that they are illegal.

The hospital has now retrospectively applied for planning permission.

A spokesperson for Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “When the initial work was carried out to install the ANPR cameras on the Warrington Hospital site we didn’t believe that planning permission was required for the nature of the work.

“Subsequently, we have been liaising with Warrington Borough Council’s planning department to correct this oversight.”