HEALTH bosses have admitted they "under-estimated" the need for parking spaces at Darwen's £7.3million health centre.

Four months after the building opened, two senior managers said parking was a problem and something needed to be done.

Discussions are to now take place with the council to look at creating more parking spaces in the area.

Green land to the side of the health centre, off Borough Road, has previously been suggested.

Christine Winstanly, who ran the project for Blackburn with Darwen NHS Primary Care Trust, said: "It has been fairly problematic. We acknowl-edge it is very difficult. People are just parking anywhere."

The health centre has 110 spaces -- 52 for patients with the rest for staff.

David Brunskill, the PCT's director of corporate development, said: "Maybe we underestimated a bit."

Coun Roy Davies said: "We said there would be a problem with parking. It was brought up on plenty of occasions. There are more parking spaces for staff than there are for the 32,000 people who use the PCT's services." But Coun Dave Hollings said Coun Davies' comments were with "the hindsight of 20/20 vision" and parking was not raised as a major concern when plans were approved.