Green light for development at St Christopher’s Hospice
BOOST €7.5M investment in new palliative care facility
The trustees of St Christopher’s Hospice Ltd have been given the green light by council planners for the development of a significant extension to existing facilities.
The part single-storey, part two-storey extension to the side and rear of the Loreto Road building will provide additional bedrooms and ancillary accommodation.
A total of 16 bedrooms will be provided, between existing and new.
St Christopher’s Hospice on the outskirts of Cavan Town is operated under a lease agreement by the HSE as a Level 2 Hospice, and also provides inpatient care to 10 patients with advanced neurological conditions.
The proposed redevelopment of the site will reconfigure existing accommodation to provide consultant rooms and additional accommodation. Additional car parking facilities and landscaping are also included in the planning permission.
According to design statements submitted as part of the application by Butlersbridge-based architect Michael Fitzpatrick, the two-storey extension to the rear will provide bedroom accommodation at ground level and consultant offices and ancillary accommodation at first floor.
The single-storey extension to the side of the building will house further bedrooms and also see the creation of an enclosed courtyard with private garden.
Meanwhile a single-storey extension to the front of the building will serve as a new entrance. Permission was granted with six conditions.
Palliative Care Support beds in St Christopher's Hospice, Cavan, will be temporarily relocated during the development of a modern new hospice.
The HSE has established a new facility called ‘Mountain View’ at Glencurran, Carrickaboy, as a new ‘Physical and Sensory Respite’ centre to facilitate de-congregation from the St Christopher’s Centre site. This is a HSE-run facility.
Earlier this year it was announced that €7.5m will be spent on delivering the new 16-bed specialist palliative care inpatient hospice and community care facility at St Christopher’s.
A HSE spokesperson told the Celt: “Funds have been secured to progress with the development of St Christopher’s Hospice. The team have met and agreed the plan of the proposed development, which has been granted planning permission. The next steps will involve procurement of building contractors and is being discussed and monitored through the development committee.”