By Brendan Carroll

The go-ahead has been given for the construction of a €50 million primary care centre off Seamus Quirke Road – which will include a ‘diagnostic superhub’, a building to accommodate Tusla services and an ambulance base.

An Bord Pleanála has rejected an appeal against the granting of permission by Galway City Council last year for the complex, which will be up to eight storeys high, on three acres of land owned by the Ó hUiginn family.

The appeal had been brought to by Highfield Park Residents’ Association and a number of individual neighbouring residents.

Among the grounds of appeal were that the city’s current Development Plan envisaged a masterplan for the wider area, and without such a plan the proposed development was piecemeal and uncoordinated.

Residents also raised concerns over a lack of car parking facilities leading to ad-hoc parking on nearby residential areas; traffic congestion; potential damage to houses during construction; the creation of a flooding risk; and the impact that the height of the main building might have on helicopter flight paths to University Hospital Galway.

Valley Healthcare, the company behind the plan, responded to the issues raised, saying that no damage would be caused to adjacent properties, the storm drainage network has been designed to accommodate a one in 100 year storm event, and that car parking had been provided to an acceptable standard.

An inspector acting on behalf of An Bord Pleanála recommended that the development be given the green light subject to a number of conditions and the board of the planning appeals authority agreed.

In issuing its decision, the board concluded that the proposed development “would not seriously injure the amenities of property in the vicinity, would not be prejudicial to public health and would be acceptable in terms of traffic and pedestrian safety and visual amenity”.

Pictured: The proposed new primary care centre.