Flooding fears rule out €80m hospital

CONCERNS over flooding have led Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission for a €80 million private hospital in Cork city.

O’Callaghan Properties, which proposed to build the 93-bed hospital at Lancaster Quay, said it was “bitterly disappointed” by the decision which will cost 650 jobs. The 2.5 acre site was not affected in last November’s flooding.

However while recognising that, Bord Pleanála decided surrounding areas had been badly hit as a result of the deluge and no further building should take place on the site at least until the flood prevention measures outlined in the Draft Lee Catchment Flood Risk Assessment Study are implemented.