Our Ref: 29N.

PA0043
P.A.Reg.Ref:
Your Ref:

Noel Dever and Others

4 Madison Road
South Circular Road
Dublin 8

Ist October 20 15
Re: Health Infrastructure Development comprising National Paediatric
Hospital, Innovation Centre and Family Accommodation Unit at St
James' Hospital Campus, Satellite Centres at Tallaght & Connolly
Hospitals and Construction Compound at Davitt Road, Dublin.
Dear Sir,
An Bord Pleanala has received your recent submission in relation to the above mentioned proposed development and will
take it into consideration in its determination of the matter. A receipt for the fee lodged is enclosed.
The Board will revert to you in due course with regard to the matter.
Please be advised that copies of all submissions I observations received in relation to the application will be made
available for public inspection at the offices of Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and South Dublin County
Council and at the offices of An Bord Pleamila when they have been processed by the Board.
If you have any queries in the meantime please contact the undersigned officer of the Board. Please quote the above
mentioned An Bord Pleanala reference number in any correspondence or telephone contact with the Board.
Yours faithfully,

~):.&\~,
E
ewtive Officer
Direct Line:01 "8737107

Encls.
ADHOC/PA0043/0 1

Tcol 41111 K5N !I 14~1 Tel

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f(iumhrohohl t>unlO. plc:on:o!;~ oc (mail

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Our Ref: 29N.PA0043

P.A.Rcg.Rcf:
Your Ref:

Paul O'Neill
National Paediatric Hospital Development Board
C/0 G. V.A. Planning & Regeneration
Floor 2, Seagrave House
19-20 Earlsfort Terrace
Dublin 2
30th September 2015

Re: Health Infrastructure Development comprising National Paediatric

Hospital, Innovation Centre and Family Accommodation Unit at St
James' Hospital Campus, Satellite Centres at Tallaght & Connolly
Hospitals and Construction Compound at Davitt Road, Dublin.
Dear Sir,
Enclosed for your information is a copy of submission(s) received by the Board in relation to the above mentioned
proposed development.
If you have any queries in relation to the matter please contact the undersigned officer of the Board.
Please quote the above mentioned An Bord Pleamila reference number in any correspondence or telephone contact with
the Board.
Yours faithfully,

En cis.
PA08.LTR

Tcrl Clll)

K~K

KICMI Tel

Glan Aiciliil I K'lCI 2H 17~ LnC:!II

1>4 Sr:ritl Manilhhritk.
ll.ulc Ath:r Cliath I

L.i1thn:;111 Gn:a,.im "" w.rkanala ic \\ch

Rinmhpl"' h<rd" plc.ut:rla rc [mail

t.4

~l.~rlhomu~h Strc.:t.

Duhhn I

Our Ref: 29N.PA0043

P.A.Reg.Ref:

An Bord Pleanala

Your Ref:

Chief Executive Officer

Dublin City Council
Civic Offices
Wood Quay
Dublin 8
30th September 20 15

Re: Health Infrastructure Development comprising National Paediatric

Hospital. Innovation Centre and Family Accommodation Unit at St
James' Hospital Campus. Satellite Centres at Tallaght & Connolly
Hospitals and Construction Compound at Davitt Road, Dublin.
Dear Sir/Madam.
Enclosed for your information are two copies of submission(s) received by the Board in relation to the above-mentioned
proposed development.
Please ensure that a copy of this/each submission is available for public inspection at the offices of the planning
authority.
If you have any queries in relation to this matter please contact the undersigned officer of the Board.
Please quote the above mentioned An Bord Pleanala reference number in any correspondence or telephone contact with
the Board.
Yours faithfully.

ran Somers
utive Officer
Direct Line:Ol-8737107
Encls.
PA07.LTR

Tdl (01) N~N Xl!MI Td

Gl;ou Aititill llNU.:!1~ 17~ L<.C.tll

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Our Ref: 29N.PA0043

P.A.Reg.Ref:
Your Ref:

Chief Executive Officer

South Dublin County Council
County Hall
Tallaght
Dublin 24
30th September 2015

Re: Health Infrastructure Development comprising National Paediatric

Hospital, Innovation Centre and Family Accommodation Unit at St
James' Hospital Campus, Satellite Centres at Tallaght & Connolly
Hospitals and Construction Compound at Davitt Road, Dublin.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Enclosed for your infonnationare two copies of submission(s)received by the Board in relation to the above-mentioned
proposed development.
Please ensure that a copy of this/each submission is available for public inspection at the offices of the planning
authority.
If you have any queries in relation to this matter please contact the undersigned officer of the Board.
Please quote the above mentioned An Bord Pleanala reference number in any correspondence or telephone contact with
the Board.
Yours faithfully,

En cis.
PA07.LTR

TCJI 01) H~H !! liM I Td

Gl.u> \uuol 1!!1JO ~n 17.~ LnColl
(~

Sr;iit.l ~lanilhhrulc.
llaolc Ath:o Climh I

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IHnmhph1"t hnrdO. plc;m:ola.Jc [noaol

C-l

\l,ulhilfo och S.n:cl ,

Llof>J,,. I

Our Ref: 29N.PA0043

P.A.Reg.Ref:
Your Ref:

Chief Executive Officer

Fingal County Council
County Hall
Main Street
Swords
County Dublin
30th September 2015

Re: Health Infrastructure Development comprising National Paediatric

Hospital, Innovation Centre and Family Accommodation Unit at St
James' Hospital Campus, Satellite Centres at Tallaght & Connolly
Hospitals and Construction Compound at Davitt Road, Dublin.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Enclosed for your information are two copies of submission(s)received by the Board in relation to the above-mentioned
proposed development.
Please ensure that a copy of this/each submission is available for public inspection at the offices of the planning
authority.
If you have any queries in relation to this matter please contact the undersigned officer of the Board.
Please quote the above mentioned An Bord Pleamila reference number in any correspondence or telephone contact with
the Board.
Yours faithfully,

ran Somers
utive Officer
D1rect Line:Ol-8737107
Encls.
PA07.LTR

r~il

(01 I K5!! K)(HI Tel

Glao,\itiliil IH'.ICI ~7.S 175 LoCall

1>-1 Sr:ii~ .Mamlhhritk.

lloilc ,\tho CIJoth I

l..mhrdn Groa"illl "" w plc;utala.ic \\'ch

Riomhpho't hortlc<i plc;mala.ic Email

M ~l:lrlburough Street.

Duhhnl

AN BORD fl~AtjALA

Recelved.:._3 Dt 51 \5
Fee: t~ 1)
Receipt No:

\) \

0 '8 \

4 Madison Road
South Circular Road
Dublin 8
29 September 2015

The Secretary
"
An Bord Pleanala
64 Marlborough Street
Dublin 1

Dear Sirs
We,

Mr Noel Dever, 4 Madison Road, Dublin 8,

Ms Joanne Flood, 4 Madison Road, Dublin 8
Ms Sinead Malone, 8 Madison Road, Dublin 8
wish to object to the construction ofthe New Children's Hospital (NCH) at the St. James's
Hospital site for the following reasons:

ACCESS
The New Children's Hospital is planned as a "world class facility to look after children and
young people from all over Ireland" so why locate this facility in a cramped and congested
Dublin city centre location with poor access? The result will cause unnecessary stress to
parents, who may already have spent hours in their car before even reaching the MSO,
and then endure traffic congestion and pressure to meet scheduled appointments.
As local residents in this area, it is a usual occurrence to experience 20-30 minute delays
along the South Circular Road in Kilmainham, not just at peak hours but also earlier
afternoons. The NCH deserves to be built in a location which provides easy and efficient
access to all families and visitors of sick children of Ireland.

TRAFFIC PLAN
The infrastructure surrounding the proposed NCH is well in excess of a hundred of years
old, constructed at a time when there were no motor cars. The road system has not been
enhanced since then and is struggling to cope with the current traffic demands on these
roads, especially at peak times. As concerned residents, we have sought information
about the "Traffic Plan" from the NCH Development Board but this has been

unforthcoming. There is no Traffic Plan. The proposed NCH will increase vehicular traffic
by several thousand vehicles per day and the Development Board's strategy/solution is
for promoted "walking, cycling and use of public transport". This is not dealing with the
local residents concerns and is a totally inadequate result.

STAFF PARKING
The Planning Application reveals that a recent survey shows that 57% of St. James's
Hospital staff currently drive to work with a further 5% as car passengers, total = 62%.
Tallaght Hospital states that 76% of their staff travel by car plus another 6% as car
passengers, total = 82%. Crumlin Hospital has 77% travelling by car and a further 4% as
car passengers, total= 81%.
It is obvious from this survey that the preferred mode of transport for hospital staff is by
private car, especially where parking Is more readily available- Temple Street has a total
of 42% including passengers, reflecting the fact that there is very little parking at this
location. Currently, St. James's hospital has one car parking space per 2.8 staff members.
The combined St. James's Hospital and NCH has proposed one parking space per 5.8 staff
members, a 50% reduction on existing parking and woefully inadequate. In a time where
recruitment and retention of medical staff is already a major concern, this will further
exasperate the situation when potential employees are informed that no parking is
available to them on site.

VISITOR PARKING
The Dolphin Report states that "It is to be expected that most patients who attend the
children's hospital will arrive by car, averaging over 90%, and that adequate on-site
parking needs to be provided to them.

Globally, new hospitals are providing between

3.13 and 13 spaces per bed. Best international practice guides 5-7 car parking spaces
per patient. The NCH is proposing 0.9 car parking spaces. The NCH Planning Application
states that "The car parking strategy does not include increasing the overall number of
parking spaces provided on campus following completion of the NCH. This will result in
NO MATERIAL INCREASE IN TRAFFIC DURING PEAK PERIODS on the surrounding street
network ......" This is far from reality - parents and visitors to sick children will end up
circling the streets surrounding the hospital grounds searching for parking, already in
scarce supply, and will add further to congestion in the area.

RESIDENTIAL PARKING
Local residents experience difficulty finding parking on a daily basis and it is a constant
Agenda Item at local Residential Meetings. At present, many of the streets and roads
surrounding the hospital operate Residential Parking Permits, which operate from 7am to
7pm Monday to Saturday. Dublin City Council plans to include a further twenty one
streets in the vicinity surrounding the St James's campus into this system. It has also

streets in the vicinity surrounding the St James's campus into this system. It has also
been proposed to increase both the cost and extend the hours of paidparking to the
existing scheme. Whilst this might deter visitors from on-street parking, it will be an
inconvenience and additional expense for local residents who will now have to provide
and pay for parking tickets for visiting family and friends on a 24 hour basis instead of the
previous 12 hour basis.

COMMUNICATIONS
The Chairman of St. James's Hospital, Mr Paul Donnelly's message to opponents of the
NCH on this site was to "shut up" and ,move on with it''. The Minister of Health, Mr Leo
Varadkar, when speaking to a concerned resident stated that ,It's Trinity so it will be

built on that site". Both these persons of authority have shown very little regard for the
concerns of the local residents and have been complacent in their attitudes. The NPHDB
Project Office publications are completely ineffective in providing any answers to local
concerns or issues raised. A model of the proposed NCH building on the St. James's site
was made available for observation very late in the process. The model included the
complete St. James Hospital site, resulting in a small scale structure of the NCH, tucked
into the corner of the site (as planned) and using a neutral beige colour scheme. This is
very misleading and disingenuous. A larger-scaled model, properly rendered in the
planned colour scheme and showing more of the IJ!~~~~~~~~~~;Q.i
proposal would have been more respectful to the local
t
between the parties.

3 0 SEP 2015

THE PROPOSED SITE

LTRDAT!O
FROM
The proposed NCH is being shoe-horned onto the S .p~ames's 1=1ospJtal sit ,
lacking space, has very poor access, a totally inadequate nu

is
r

both staff and visitors and no room for future expansion. Submitted to An Bord Pleanala
as a seven storey structure, it has since been revealed as an eight story building.
In contrast, a new children's hospital in Liverpool is nearing completion. Constructed on a
24 acre park, it will be known as Alder Hey Children's Health Park. There is an emphasis
on tranquillity, the hospital ,surrounded by wild flowers", access to play areas, natural
light and striking views of the park available wherever possible. There are dedicated
areas to play and relax and will be one of the "most environmentally friendly hospitals in
the world". During the consultation process, the most common request was a desire for
11

better access to fresh air and nature".

The developers certainly listened to their

patient's needs and desires.

In comparison, the St. James's Hospital campus is located in a socially deprived area with
high unemployment. Anti-social behaviour is rampant with drug-dealing openly taking
place at the St. James's Hospitalluas Stop. There is a Sex shop/cinema and a Wet Hostel

within two hundred metres of the entrance to the hospital. Residents of the Wet Hostel
loiter on the hospital grounds often in a intoxicated state of collapse on the green areas.
The proposed structure is high density four to eight stories high with roof-top gardens
located on top the four-story structures. Is this how the NPHDB wish to provide
relaxation and fresh air to sick children and their families? Exposed to the elements of
Irish weather at that height, overlooking heavily congested streets, a busy luas line, a
helipad and the already noisy and polluted atmosphere!
650 million, probably even more, of mostly tax payer's money should not be squandered
on this site when so much could be learned from the Alder Hey project. Another example
of progressive thinking is the Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital, opened in 2011, which
a stand-alone facility is built on a 280 acre park with an allocation of 13 car park spaces
per patient.

HELIPAD

The proposal to include a roof-top helipad so close to residential homes is totally

unsuitable. Medical helicopters, both landing and taking off in such close proximity to
homes will be a major source of noise pollution and a complete lack of respect for a quiet
residential neighbourhood. The average car sound creates 70 decibels whilst busy traffic
would create 75dB. A Jack Hammer equates to lOOdB and a Helicopter is lOSdB. Each 10
dB increase in sound is approximately a doubling of loudness so in affect, a helicopter is
50% louder than a jack hammer. We do not want this additional disturbance in our
community.

COSTS

The projected cost of this NCH is a proposed 650 million. It is true that the extra cost of
18 million for re-routing the Drimnagh Sewer was not factored into this sum? How
much will be spent of excavation for the two story underground car park, the demolition
of so many buildings and removal from site. The Connolly site on the MSO would
eliminate all these costs and the savings re-directed into fitting out the new hospital with
essential equipment.

REMOVAL OF MATURE TREES/PERIOD CHURCH

A beautiful granite church (which should be a protected structure) is planned for

demolition to make way for the proposed NCH. The current government show little
regard for this period structure, with the Minister of Health stating "we must move

forward" when asked about its demolition. It is part of our 1916 heritage and should be
respected.
Numerous mature trees on the St. James's site create a natural boundary between the
Hospital and the residential area of the South Circular Road. It will be necessary to
4

remove these trees as the 4 X four-story blocks project out to the boundary wall with the
South Circular Road. There is an inherent lack of sensitivity to the surrounding residential
period properties and the Architect's piecemeal addition of "frosted glazing and removal
of balconies" on these four-story blocks will do little to commensurate for the lack of
privacy and the massive intrusion that such a high density structure will have on the
Edwardian two-story houses.

FUTURE EXPANSION
It is natural for all hospitals to evolve and enlarge over time. The Crumlin Children's
Hospital has increased its clinical areas by 75% during the last ten years. Texas Children's
Hospital has rebuilt itself twice in ten years, with numerous other hospitals also doubling
in size. There is no room on the St. James's site to facilitate any future expansion of the
proposed NCHI

In summary, the site at St. James's Hospital is totally unsuitable in every possible way. More
importantly, it is unfair to the sick children of Ireland, these children deserve better. It is
similarly unfair to the parents of the sick children and to the taxpayers of this country who are
expected to fund the project.
The choice of location should not be a political one, it should not be dictated by Consultants or
Medical professionals. The fact that Trinity College Medical facility is located on th is site should
have no bearing on the choice.
There is NO evidence that co-location of a children' s hospital with an adult hospital improves
clinical outcomes for children.
The Connolly site, with 145 acres along the M50 is the best option for the New Children's
Hospital. It will be built cheaper and faster, provide easy access for all patients/visitors and
eliminate all the issues and concerns arising with the St. James's site.
Did we not learn anything from the failed Mater site proposal?

- AN BORO PLEANALA

____,

- SY

TIME_

3D SEP 2015
Yours faithfully

L.TRDATED_ _ FROM

PL_

_ _ _,

~J 1' k

~/ ~~-...... ?jJ9Q2cl1aftw_

Noel Dever

ot rlood

Encl. 50.00 appeal fee Chc:t~AA- No.

Sinead Malone

o 4 58