Hospital allays road plan fears

BEAUMONT Hospital and the HSE have moved to allay the fears of local residents that a recent planning application would lead to the creation of a new through road to Beaumont Hospital from the Beaumont Woods estate.

Beaumont chief executive Liam Duffy told Northside People:

“We became aware last week of reports and claims circulating in the community that the planning application for a realignment of the internal road in Beaumont

‘could lead to extra traffic in the Beaumont Woods Estate as some of the traffic going to or leaving Beaumont Hospital may divert through [the] Estate’

“Those reports are completely incorrect. I can assure residents that there are no plans, now or in the future, for another road into Beaumont Hospital.

“In fact if anything the separation of the Rockfield nursing home from the Sisters of Mercy site will reduce the existing traffic in that area.

?

Mr Duffy explained the background to the application.

“Rockfield is originally part of a bigger site owned by the Sisters of Mercy which up to now was accessed by road from The Park and Beaumont Woods,

? he stated.

“Following the transfer of Rockfield to the HSE, planning permission was granted (in 2011) for works to refurbish the property and to separate it from the wider Sisters of Mercy site.

“When that work is completed the Rockfield building will no longer be accessible via the existing entrance – from The Park and Beaumont Woods.

“It will be landlocked which is why the application was made to break through the wall between Rockfield and the grounds of Beaumont Hospital which is directly adjacent to the nursing home on its other side.

“If granted this application will allow for a short spur road into Rockfield from the internal Beaumont ring road that will go no further than Rockfield.

?

Mr Duffy also addressed the concern expressed by some residents that there had been a lack of consultation and communication on the plans.

“This application was made on the basis that the new road into Rockfield would be constructed after the Rockfield site has been separated from the existing entrance off Beaumont Woods under the terms of the planning permission granted in 2011.,

? he said.

“On that basis we saw it entirely as an internal project between the Beaumont campus and the directly adjacent Rockfield site owned by the same organisation with no impact at all on third parties. The application was made on that basis.

Mr Duffy said it was

“disappointing and unfortunate

? that this was mis-interpreted.

“We are happy to assure residents that their concerns are unfounded and we are happy to explain the detail to any one that still has any concerns,

? he added.