An Bord Pleanála overrules inspector’s decision on hospital

AN Bord Pleanála has overruled its inspector’s decision not to grant an extension to a private hospital in Cork.

Board members decided to grant approval to the Shandon Street Hospital which opened its doors in 1999.

Initially the hospital’s owners had sought a two-storey extension to the historic building, but then revised that to a single storey to accommodate new consulting rooms, theatre etc.

Cork City Council decided to grant planning permission for the extension last March.

But two objectors appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

Senior inspector Anne Marie O’Connor recommended refusing the application. She said the scale of the development would seriously injure the residential amenities of the adjoining properties at Broguemaker’s Hill and Shandon Street, by reason of overshadowing and visual intrusion.

She added it would also affect the character and appearance of what is an Architectural Conservation Area.

However, the board members didn’t agree with her and said the extension wouldn’t have a negative impact on the area, either visually or architecturally.

The single storey extension will be primarily made of glass and steel with a metal clad roof.

Dr Farghal Radwan, who runs the hospital, said the extension would enable the hospital to provide an even better service to more patients.

He said no date had yet been fixed for the start of construction.

The hospital, which is situated at the lower end of Shandon Street, was originally a Bank of Ireland branch.

It has two large operating rooms, an advanced laser eye theatre and a state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery theatre.

It possesses a non-surgical health and beauty clinic and the capacity to accommodate 15 overnight patients.