Progress on new primary care centre in Cork suburb

Work on a proposed Cork primary care centre that was promised five years ago, and expected to be built by the end of 2026, will now move to the design phase, following the rejection of a planning objection.

News that Douglas was to get a primary care centre emerged in April 2019, when Fianna Fáil councillor Mary Rose Desmond told The Echo she had received confirmation from the then Cork Kerry Community Healthcare that HSE Estates would later that year invite expressions of interest to build the facility.

The covid pandemic proved to be a stumbling block, and the project was delayed until July of this year, when Ms Desmond said a planning application to build the centre on the old Douglas Woolen Mills site was lodged.

Last week, in a response to a parliamentary query from Cork South Central TD Séamus McGrath, Mari O’Donovan, interim head of service primary care, with HSE South West, said the developer had lodged a planning application for the Douglas Primary Care Centre, and Cork City Council had granted permission.

“A third party lodged an appeal on this planning application,” she said. “However, this was rejected by An Coimisiún Pleanála, and the judgement was in favour of the application. The project will now move to detailed design stage.”

Mr McGrath said a new primary health centre was “critically important” for the provision of a range of services in what is a large urban area.

“I welcome that this is now a priority for the HSE and the project will move to the detailed design stage,” he said.

“I will continue to stay in contact with the HSE and the minister for health on this project, and push for its progression as quickly as possible.”

Ms Desmond said she intended to keep “an active eye” to ensure there were no further delays.

“It is an essential facility for the wider Douglas and Rochestown area, and I will be keeping the pressure on to ensure everything is done to ensure we can meet the projected timeline of the end of next year,” she said.

The services planned for the centre include public health, podiatry, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech & language therapy, dietetics, a network disability team, and a home support team.

In July, a spokesperson for HSE South West warned that timelines around projects of this scale tend to be dependent on a number of variables.

“For that reason, a timeline of up to 30 months allows for a sensible contingency timeframe and an expected completion date of Q4 2026,” they said.