A DECISION by Sligo County Council this week to refuse planning permission for a private hospital on the outskirts of the town has been welcomed by campaigners, who said the facility would lead to the “continuing downgrading” of Sligo General Hospital.
Councillors last year controversially voted to rezone land at Carraroe to enable a private hospital to be built there. Members went against the recommendations of county manager Hubert Kearns, who said the existing Sligo development plan already provided for such facilities on sites that would be more accessible to community facilities.
In a report, the manager said the proposed development would be inconsistent with strategies already incorporated in the draft development plan to zone land in this area for community facilities.
In its decision to refuse permission this week, the council said the proposed development would be in conflict with its plan to reserve a strategic road corridor for a planned bypass of the city.
The bypass is expected to link the N4 with the realigned N15 and N16 on the northern side of Sligo. The council added that the planned three-story hospital would be premature because of inadequate sewerage facilities in the area.
Developers Noel Elliott, Peter Martin and Mary Gilmartin had applied for permission for a three-storey facility with a floor space of 12,700sq m at Carrickhenry and Tonafortes. The facility was to incorporate 240 parking spaces and a link to the Oakfield road and Carraroe roundabout.
