VHI lodges plans for first phase of 'major healthcare campus' near Swords

Gordon Deegan

The State’s largest private health insurer, the VHI, has lodged plans for the first phase "of a major healthcare campus" in Swords for the wider north Dublin area.

In planning documents lodged with Fingal County Council, consultants for VHI Group Dac, Declan Brassil & Co state the proposed healthcare campus will be the first developed by the VHI.

The planning consultants state that VHI Health and Wellbeing DAC 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 first phase of the development is a three-storey community facility that is to provide urgent care 365 days a year care for patients with minor injuries and illnesses.

The community facility will include diagnostics imaging services and all associated clinical support rooms.

Declan Brassil & Co state that the proposed development "does not include any patient beds and will only operate between the hours of 8am and 8pm".

The Barrysparks site is located 2.5km south of Swords town centre, near the Airside retail park and northwest of the Feltrim Hall housing development.

Declan Brassil & Co says the campus "will be at the centre of a destination health eco-system which will include facilities and services such as gardens, a patient university, restaurant, gym, and pharmacy, co-located with the clinical services."

The planning documentation states that the healthcare campus will be aligned with VHI Health and Wellbeing DAC, which was established in 2018 to develop and oversee the provision of health services to VHI members "and is embarking on a significant expansion of the range of services available to Vhi members".

The planning consultants state that the proposed scheme represents an appropriate addition to the area “through the provision of a high quality, employment generating development”.

There is an existing VHI Swiftcare facility located 800 metres to the southwest of the subject site.

A decision is due on the scheme next month.