Dublin City Council said they are satisfied that all shortlisted proposals for the new national children’s hospital in Dublin city can work from a planning perspective.
Noting “certain comments” made in relation to possible planning issues with one of the proposed sites, a statement issued from the council today said nothing was certain in relation to planning matters until a final decision was made by An Bord Pleanála.
It is understood that St James’s hospital has emerged as the preferred location after Minister for Health James Reilly and his officials considered the Dolphin Report submitted by a review group last June, but concerns have been raised about planning issues at the site in recent weeks.
A planning application submitted in 2010 for a private hospital facility on the campus was objected to by numerous local residents and TDs. Permission was granted for the since abandoned development but with stringent conditions attached. The proposed new children’s hospital would be on a much larger scale.
“No one can be definitive on the planning aspect of any site at this stage because the final arbiter will be An Bord Pleanála,” the Dublin City Council statement said, adding that this would apply to shortlisted sites within and outside the jurisdiction of Dublin City Council.
“The City Council wishes to put on the record that the council is satisfied that the proposals within the city boundaries can all work from a planning and infrastructural perspective and in the process avail of the public transport or other adjacent facilities of a city centre location in a capital city,” it continued.
The shortlisted sites at St James’s, the Mater, the Coombe and the greenfield site at Belcamp all fall within the Dublin City Council area. Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown is in the Fingal County Council area.
Dr Reilly is expected to propose the St James’s site to Cabinet next week, when a final decision will be made about the location for the new children’s hospital.
