Hospital carpark to be retained

The HSE is being permitted to keep a 114-space carpark, built in early 2024, after it argued that the additional spaces are necessary for the future development of the site.

Permission was granted for the project, along with associated internal roads and necessary ancillary works, with a total of 11 conditions attached.

But the process wasn't straightforward, with further information required by the local authority to back up the HSE's case after local planning officials queried the need for the carpark without explanation.

In response, a site assessment report by RPS Group was submitted, stating that there are 902 car parking spaces - not including the 114 new - within the hospital campus, including visitor parking, patient parking, staff parking, accessible parking and EV charging spaces.

A traffic count survey was carried out, which put current demand at 828 spaces “on a typical weekday”. However, the number “does not include for any of the proposed and future” expansion plans with three of those considered for delivery in the “short-term”.

The additional carpark was constructed to the east and “in response to the future parking demand”.

Among the proposed new developments at the acute hospital facility are: A new Emergency Department and Endoscopy Unit; a Enhanced Community Care Hub (ECC); and a new Oncology and Clinical Space, currently at the early stages of pre-planning.

Further ahead, in the “medium-term”, the hospital wants to add a new Community Nursing Home and a Dementia Specific Household, both of which are in the preliminary stages of planning and design.

The combined estimated car parking demand for the existing hospital, including the three proposed new developments - Emergency Department and Endoscopy Unit, ECC Hub, and Oncology and Clinical Space- is 1,005 spaces, according to the report filed to planners.

This projected 77 parking space surplus is “considered appropriate” for the Cavan General Hospital stated RPS Group given that additional spaces are required periodically for cardiac training manual handling, which occur on the campus, and account for approximately 20 vehicles.

Also pointed out is the rural nature of the hospital’s catchment area and the two medium-term developments - Community Nursing Home and Dementia Specific Household.

It is not considered the proposed car parking provision will “impact on road safety or traffic flow” around the hospital it was added in the report, submitted as part of the Further Information in early December.

A decision to grant retention was made pre-Christmas.