Plans for private hospital

PLANS for a new private hospital are to be lodged shortly by O’Callaghan Properties for their Jurys Hotel site in Cork city centre.

The site, now home to a new, replacement Jurys four-star hotel and completed apartments, has planning permission already for 100 more apartments — but these may now be dropped in favour of a private medical facility, said developer Owen O’Callaghan.

“We have had suggestions made to us from private operators, given that it so close to the Mercy, South Infirmary, Bon Secours and CUH, as well as to UCC,” he said.

He added that the site already had 500 basement car-parking spaces to service such a facility.

A private hospital could cost in the region of €50 million to €60m to provide, and its design would follow that by architects Henry J Lyons for the unbuilt apartments.

Likely groups to operate such a facility could include the Beacon Group and Sheehan Group, both of whom have previously examined other possible Cork city site options.