New €20m medical campus for Nenagh

A plan for the construction of a large primary healthcare centre costing in the region of €20 million is in the pipeline for a greenfield site across the road from the hospital in Nenagh.

Subject to planning permission being granted, Bluemont Developments Ltd, are set to purchase the old Nenagh Ormond rugby grounds and lands at Tyone and build an 80,000 square feet dedicated healthcare facility on the site.

The company is headed up by Mike D’Arcy, a native of Borrisokane, who revealed to The Guardian that his firm planned to submit a planning application to Tipperary County Council in the coming week.

Should all go to plan, the deal will provide a substantial cash injection to the coffers of Nenagh Ormond Rugby Club, which intends investing the monies from the sale of their site to create a state-of-the-art sporting facilities at their existing base in Lisatunny.

Munster Rugby President and Nenagh native Seán McCullough, who has dedicated many years to his home club, said the healthcare facility will provide an excellent service for the people of Nenagh and surrounding areas. The financial benefits that would accrue to the club would enable it to provide modern sporting facilities for the town.

Local TD, and Leader of the Labour Party Alan Kelly, who with the other parties has been planning the project for almost the past five years, said the development of the primary healthcare centre would be fantastic for the town. The services provided would be in synergy with those delivered by the hospital across the road. The end result would be a dedicated healthcare campus that would be the envy of other towns, said Deputy Kelly.

Bluemont Developments put their plans for the healthcare facility on show for club members and members of the public at the Nenagh Ormond grounds in Lisatunny on Wednesday night last.

Speaking to this newspaper at that launch, Mike D’Arcy told The Guardian that his company was hoping that Tipperary County Council would give the green light for the ambitious project. Subject to planning, it was hoped to commence construction of the facility within the next 18 months.

STATE-OF-THE-ART

Mr Darcy said the building would be a state-of-the-art healthcare facility. "This is what we specialise in," he said, revealing that his company has already built similar centres in Kilkenny, Tullamore and Roscommon, and is currently at the build stage on a site in Cork.

The company also has for some years being planning a primary healthcare centre in Roscrea, where it is hoping to start construction very soon.

The new healthcare facility in Nenagh would provide a vast range of services in areas such a dentistry, physiotherapy and occupational health.

Mr Darcy revealed that it will also house local services provided by the childcare agency, Tusla, and include a chronic illness support unit and a range of outpatient services.

The new centre would enhance services provided by the hospital just across the road, he said, adding that the plan had received the backing of his company's local GP partners.

"This new proposed centre would provide a number of services that have been suggested and approved by the HSE for the people of Nenagh," said Mr Darcy.

"The aim is to bring about a real central focus to healthcare provision in the town by providing a medical campus. We specialise in what we do, so we know this will work."

Mr Darcy revealed that the HSE is likely to dedicate up to 150 or more staff to the facility, working on a fulltime basis. "It will enhance the service provision by the HSE to the local community," he said, revealing that child and adult mental health would be among the services provided.

MODERN SPORTS FACILITIES

Seán McCullough told this newspaper that his club Nenagh Ormond planned to use funds from the sale of their site to invest in modern sport facilities at its existing grounds in Lisatunny.

Initially, the club had looked at disposing of its four-acre Tyone site for the development of new housing, but decided to opt for the primary care centre because it wanted to provide a facility that would provide a great service to the town and contribute to the growth of the local economy.

Mr McCullough said Nenagh Ormond, after looking into the state-of-the art amenities provided by some of the leading clubs in the country, had decided that it wanted to invest in a three dimensional pitch as well as upgrading its existing clubhouse, changing rooms, carparking and other facilities.

"That's a phase one project we are planning," said Mr McCullough.

"But what is vital to us as a club is that our site in Tyone is used to provide something important for the people of the town and something that will be good for the local economy."

Mr McCullough said the improved facilities the club could develop with the cash from the sale of its site would really put the club on the rugby map. "We are talking to Munster Rugby and we have backing from them that this would be a sort of regional centre."

Mr McCullough, along with his fellow club members Mike McMahon and John Gleeson, were tasked to come up with the best way to dispose of its old grounds. "It's been a long journey and we all worked very hard. So we hope it all works out, and so far we have received a very positive response to our plans. It's very exciting times."

Alan Kelly thanked everyone involved for getting the project to this stage. "From my point of view this is about a whole area of Tyone becoming a health campus," he said.

Not alone would the services provided at the planned centre tie in with the hospital, but also with the services at the new elderly care facility, Saint Conlon's Home, which was currently being built on the grounds of the hospital.

"This project works very well for the HSE and for the people of Nenagh and surrounding areas. Having a large dedicated medical campus in one area will set an example for other towns to follow," said Deputy Kelly.