Galway City Council has given the green light for the construction of a €50 million primary care centre off Seamus Quirke Road – which will include a “diagnostic superhub”, ambulance base and Tusla building.

The decision came despite objections from local residents, who voiced concerns over the lack of parking and an increase in traffic in the area.

Valley Healthcare, a development partner of Glencar Healthcare, the latter chaired by former HSE Chief Executive Brendan Drumm, secured planning permission on three acres of land owned by the Ó hUiginn family off the Seamus Quirke Road.

If there is no appeal of the decision to An Bord Pleanála, the project will take around 18 months to build and a further three months to fit out the buildings.

The project will include:

■ A primary care centre (PCC) with eight floors over a basement, with pharmacy and café on the ground floor. There will also be two GP practices, a “diagnostic superhub”, and spaces for physiotherapy and occupational therapy treatment, ophthalmology, paediatric services, dental, community mental health, day hospital and administrative accommodation.

■ A four-storey Tusla building with interview and access rooms.

■ An ambulance deployment building with support rooms and rest areas for ambulance staff.

■ More than 120 car parking spaces in an underground carpark, and 220 bike parking spaces.

■ Cycle and pedestrian access from Seamus Quirke Road and Rahoon Road.

The original proposal for the PCC was for a building up to nine storeys in height, but this was scaled back following concerns expressed by planners.
This is a shortened preview version of this story. To read the rest of the article, see the September 29 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can support our journalism and buy a digital edition HERE.