National Children’s Hospital Update- Permission Granted

An ariel view of the hospital

An Bord Pleanala today granted permission for the National Children’s Hospital to be built on the site of St James’s Hospital. This is a very welcome project, bringing both jobs and investment to the wider area of Rialto and Kilmainham. A high level committee involving the hospital, education providers, the local employment centres and the Department of Social Protection has been established to ensure that the Dublin 8&12 area get substantial community gain in the form of employment from this important piece of national infrastructure.

Below is an edited version of the planning conditions attached to the application which relate to the local area, drainage and mobility.

• The change some of the car parking plans to ensure there is a minimum of 20 spaces of the same dimensions as used for disabled spaces. These 20 spaces shall be marked and designated as “parent and child” spaces and shall be reserved for parents of children with specific needs (equipment etc.). The resultant reduction in the number of car parking spaces for the overall development shall be taken from the staff car parking allocation within the development, such that a minimum of 675 car parking spaces would remain available for patients and visitors.

• Prior to the commencement of development, a Car Park Management Plan for the St James’s Hospital Campus shall be submitted to, and agreed in writing with, Dublin City Council. This Management Plan shall incorporate measures to ensure that the 675 car parking spaces in the proposed National Paediatric Hospital, that are stated in the submitted documentation to be reserved for use by patients and visitors, cannot be used by staff during the period 07.00 to 19.00 hours, Monday to Saturday.

• Prior to building beginning a Mobility Management Plans shall be submitted to, and agreed with Dublin City Council in order to avoid traffic congestion in the areas adjacent the development sites.

• Prior to the commencement of development the developer shall submit to, and agree in writing with, Dublin City Council the following:

a)    Detailed design proposals for all access points to the St. James’s Hospital Campus site being the access off James’s Street; the            access off Mount Brown and the access off Brookfield Road.

b)   The number and location of CCTV cameras to monitor trip generation at the access points subject of (a) above.

c)    Detailed design proposals for the temporary alignment of the internal access road to form a fourth arm to the South Circular Road / Brookfield Road junction for the construction stage.

Reason: In the interests of sustainable development, traffic safety and to avoid traffic congestion on the adjacent road network.

• Prior to the commencement of development, Construction Management Plans shall be submitted to, and agreed in writing with, all three planning authorities. Each Construction Management Plan shall include, inter alia, a Construction Traffic Management Plan. In the case of the Saint James’s Hospital Campus site, this Construction Traffic Management Plan shall be such as to minimise HGV movements to and from the site between the hours of 0700 and 0900, Monday to Friday. Reason: To protect the amenities of neighbouring properties and in the interest of traffic and pedestrian safety.

• Prior to the commencement of development the developer shall submit to, and agree in writing with, Dublin City Council, detailed design proposals for the diversion of the existing Drimnagh Sewer on the Saint James’s Hospital Campus site, which shall be generally in accordance with the Environmental Impact Statement submitted with the application. Reason: in the interest of public health.