Decision on new Primary Care Centre in Offaly due this week

A DECISION on whether to grant planning permission to Birr Primary Care Centre or not is due this week, by March 12.

BPI Investments Limited (which has an address in Congress House, Portarlington, Co Laois) has lodged an application with Offaly County Council to create a three-storey structure on the greenfield site between the Outdoor Education Centre and the County Arms Hotel.

The proposed PCC will include a number of HSE facilities including consulting rooms, treatment areas, meeting rooms, offices and support spaces.

It will also include a surgery space totalling 807 square metres for General Practitioners and a 138 square metre pharmacy, and two consulting rooms totalling 34 square metres.

There will also be a two storey ambulance base and parking for 157 cars. There will be fifty spaces for bicycles and 16 electrical charging points.

A new access distributor road with footpaths, 165 metres in length, will be constructed.

The Council sought clarification from the developer and received this clarification on February 13 last.