A plan for a VHI 360 Health Centre has been resubmitted for a site between Tesco and MSD along the Holywell distributor road in Swords.
The private healthcare provider had previously applied for planning permission but has since withdrawn that application and a new set of plans were submitted to the council in late November.
The new plans are for a three story community healthcare centre which will be phase one of a four phase masterplan to develop a VHI Holistic Healthcare Campus in Swords.
The planning submission, which is still being considered by Fingal County Council, states:
This application represents Phase 1 of the Masterplan-led campus development. The focus of this Phase is to prioritise the community facility. The community facility will provide urgent care 365 days per year for patients with minor injuries and illnesses, diagnostic imaging and services, and comprehensive, integrated outpatient services based on the Patient Centred Medical Home {PCMH) concept. This development accommodates enhanced facilities and will replace the existing Vhi Swiftcare clinic that currently operates in Airside Retail Park
The proposed healthcare facility of 4,425.8 sqm gross floor area {GFA) is three storeys over a lower ground floor level car park accommodating 100 no. car parking spaces, 10 no. motorcycle spaces, 60 no. bicycle spaces, a facilities management set down area and an ambulance set down area. Vehicular and pedestrian access is via a proposed new distributor road serving the wider Barrysparks area of which c. 150 is proposed to be constructed northward from the existing roundabout on the Holywell Road. Pedestrian and cyclist access is also proposed at the south of the site near the existing roundabout.
In relation to the development of the ‘Holistic Healthcare Campus’ the application states:
Vhi has a long-term vision to develop a healthcare campus in North Dublin to incorporate a community facility, rehabilitation, palliative care and ambulatory care. The campus will be developed on a phased basis in accordance with campus Masterplanning principles that are clearly articulated in the submitted Architect’s Design Statement and Masterplan. The healthcare campus will be at the centre of a destination health ecosystem which will include facilities and services such as gardens, patient university, restaurant. gym and pharmacy co-located with the clinical facilities and aligned with Vhi’s vision to deliver a transformative experience and address the key problems of access, integration, choice, quality, affordability and value.
Cllr Ian Carey said:
“I welcome this new application but it is sad to see this project hit delays again. It was back in February that they were given three months to resubmit their application, they obviously felt it would be better to go through the process again.
“That said, this will be a really important addition to Swords. Along with the new Primary Care Centre being planned for the Airside area, it will create a healthcare hub. One thing that is important to say is that when these facilities come on stream we will need this area to be better connected to the town – not just through roads but also for pedestrians and cyclists. This part of Swords is already clogged with traffic and we need the roads and active travel access, proposed through the Barrysparks/Crowcastle masterplan, to be in place before the area is fully developed.”
