A surface parking lot expansion that Hamilton Health Sciences wanted to build won't be allowed to go ahead, according to a decision from the Ontario Municipal Board released last week.

"This does not reflect good planning nor is it in the public interest," said the OMB's vice-chair, Jyoti Zuidema, in the board's decision.

The proposal by Hamilton Health Sciences was an example of "'chipping away' of the broader vision identified for this stable albeit fragile neighbourhood,'" Zuidema wrote, agreeing with residents from the Beasley neighbourhood who testified in the hearing into the HHS appeal.

HHS wanted to expand its existing parking lot across Barton Street from the Hamilton General Hospital, by adding two lots to the south — one lot at the corner of Robert and Cathcart and another on Ferguson Avenue.

The end result, HHS said, would be one less acre of surface parking in Beasley than what used to be there, before the hospital built its new Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre on a previous parking lot.

It was a fairly small project, but many Beasley advocates saw it as an example of a philosophical battle in their neighbourhood.

The Beasley Neighbourhood Association argues that the area is changing and growing. But it has too many surface parking lots, and it doesn't need more.

"We never thought we had much of a chance against Hamilton Health Sciences with all the resources at their disposal, but thanks to the strength of all our voices, we were able to defend residents' vision for a renewing downtown," said Mike Borrelli, the association's treasurer, in a press release Monday cheering the decision.

The hospital also released a statement.

"In light of this decision by the Ontario Municipal Board, we are re-visiting our options and will continue to work with our community partners to find a solution that benefits both the community as well as HHS patients, families and staff," said Kelly Campbell, vice president of Corporate Services and Capital Development at Hamilton Health Sciences.

'What was lacking ... was the justification for this intrusion'

Under a wide-ranging master plan for Hamilton's West Harbour called "Setting Sail," the lots in question are to be used for medium-density residential development. The HHS plan called for adding standalone parking as an acceptable use there, according to the OMB decision.

"The matter before me is a second attempt by HHSC to deviate from the policies of Setting Sail," Zuidema wrote.

"What was lacking in the planning rationale from HHSC was the justification for this intrusion into the residential area in light of the Setting Sail policy which requires a sensitive and compatible approach to existing neighbourhoods."