I would love to know how a building of this size got planning approval without the provision of adequate parking spaces
The way planning guidlines are currently structured the reverse is true. You cannot get planning consent on a building if it has sufficient car parking space for it's workers. This is meant to encourage transport modal shift (Buses, Trains, Cycles, Peds). What it actually does is shift parking into nearby residential streets, supermarket car parks, other business car park etc.
It is unbelieveable what the planning guidlines think is sufficient parking. I think they assume four up in a car and 25% modal shift or something drastic. In reality a modal shift of 4% is considered a stupendous achievement. To put it into focus. If a modal shift of 2% across the SE of england occurred onto trains, the rail infrastructure could not cope with the increased demand. The government's lack of investment in rail has been at odds with it's proffessed support of modal shift.
DeepC