Plans for new 36-bedroom hospice next to hospital

There are plans for a new 36-bedroom regional hospice in Drogheda.

Newgrange Hospice Foundation Limited has applied to Louth County Council for permission for redevelopment of land located directly east of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and including land within the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) Campus, at Beechgrove/Boyle O’Reilly Terrace/ Windmill Road, with parking at The Twenties, Moneymore.

The site is located north of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, a protected structure (RPS ref. DB-099).

The development will consist of the construction of a new hospice providing regional palliative care services in a part three-and four-storey building (over 1-2 level basement).

A number of the existing MMM buildings on site will be incorporated and partly demolished/altered within the new development including the existing four-storey tower and auditorium buildings.

The proposed hospice will contain 36 in-patient bedrooms, day hospital treatment rooms, administration/research services, associated utility and clinical rooms, accommodation for families of patients, oratory, restaurant, kitchen, meeting rooms, winter gardens, terraces and loggia, coffee docks, staff and changing rooms, remains viewing room and all associated ancillary areas.

The basement will be accessed via a vehicular ramp and new vehicular access from the Beechgrove/Boyle O’Reilly

Terrace/Windmill Road and will include 37 car parking spaces and 42 bicycle spaces.

The development will also include refuse store, plant, sprinkler tank, M&E services, part blue roof and all associated plant and servicing areas (including the relocation of an existing ESB substation to a new free-standing building and incorporating additional storage).

The proposal includes an internal link to the existing hospital at ground floor level, landscaped courtyard, and associated landscaped areas, upgraded public footpath and lighting, laybys for deliveries/ waste collection and set down area, boundary treatments and all associated site works and services provision (including drainage upgrade works along Windmill Road and Ballymakenny Road).

The development proposes an additional overflow car parking area of 50 spaces at Cross Lanes, Moneymore with new access via The Twenties. This amounts to a combined total of 87 car parking spaces