UCC gets permission for new dental school at Curraheen sports grounds

Building the new dental school at UCC's sports grounds at Curraheen, Bishopstown will involve the decommissioning of some playing pitches on the site.

UCC has been granted permission to build a new multi-million euro dental school in the western suburbs of Cork city.

Permission has been granted by Cork County Council for the project at UCC's sports grounds at Curraheen, Bishopstown.

It will involve the decommissioning of some playing pitches on the site.

A UCC spokesman said the project is designed to provide dental health services, clinical teaching spaces for dental students along with education and support facilities, research laboratories and innovation spaces.

"The ambition is that the building, built over two phases, will provide a welcoming and comfortable experience for patients, a creative learning environment for students and a positive working environment for staff," the spokesman said.

He said it is hoped that construction will start on site sometime next summer and the project is expected to be completed in early 2022.

Cork University Dental School & Hospital (CUDSH) is presently located on the campus of Cork University Hospital.

The UCC spokesman pointed out that The University Strategic Plan (Independent Thinking Shared Ambition) 2017 –2022 identified the construction and commissioning of a new dental school as a priority project as part of an overall Capital Development Programme.

"The new dental school will be located on UCC’s lands in the Cork Science and Innovation Park (CSIP) at Curraheen," the spokesman added.

The five-storey dental hospital will have research and innovation facilities, a central sterile services department, roof top plant enclosure and support service areas and will be served by a new roads network.