This is the most significant capital investment project ever undertaken in healthcare in Ireland and is a core part of Ireland’s transition to a new National Model of Care of Paediatric services. The new national Model of Care involves treating the vast majority of children and young people as close to home as is medically appropriate, and reflects best national and international developments in healthcare. Paediatricians and child
health professionals fully accept that this is best practice.
The much-anticipated approval of the scheme also extends to two new Satellite Paediatric Out Patient Department (OPD) and Urgent Care Centres at Tallaght Hospital and Connolly Hospitals based on the southside and northside of Dublin, designed by HLM in collaboration with Coady Architects. The two new paediatric and urgent care centres are scheduled to commence onsite in 2016 and will be developed in conjunction with the new children’s hospital.
A total investment of €650m has been allocated for the delivery of the new hospital and urgent care centres. Each of the Paediatric OPD and Urgent Care Centres at Tallaght and Connolly Hospitals provides around 5,000 sqm of floor space and is being overseen by the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board.
Planning approval follows a ten day public oral hearing presided over by An Bord Pleanála, the State’s planning authority responsible for strategic infrastructure.
HLM, with offices in Belfast, was appointed on the strength of its extensive experience in the healthcare sector in Ireland and the UK including their redevelopment work of Altnagelvin Area Hospital in County Londonderry and Queen’s Centre for Oncology & Haematology in Hull. HLM is working with Dublin-based Coady Architects who have experience in the delivery of healthcare projects across Ireland.
The new centres will help provide a new model of children’s care across the Republic of Ireland and will deliver localised community facilities to relieve some of the long-term pressures on central A&E/trauma services.
Commenting on the appointment Karl Ruddle, who heads HLM in Ireland said: “HLM is thrilled that this long-awaited and vital development has received planning approval. We are delighted to be working with a well-respected and established project board and design team. Our combined experience in the healthcare sector, gained from projects across both Ireland and the UK, has enabled us to deliver a design solution that we know will provide enhanced local facilities for Dublin residents and ease the burden on the Urgent Care services.”
HLM provides architecture, landscape and urban design, interiors and environmental design to the commercial and public sectors in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, GB and internationally. The company has grown significantly in Northern Ireland within the last year and now employs 13 people.
For more information visit the website: www.hlmarchitects.com or follow HLM on Twitter: @HLMArchitects
