Primary care unit mooted for Birr
Major plans to build a multi-million euro primary care unit, complete with doctor surgeries, pharmacy and treatment rooms, at Birr RFC grounds have been revealed.
Birr Rugby Football Club and BPI Investments have indicated their intention to apply to Offaly County Council for permission to build a modern two-storey primary care unit, with a HSE Day Centre incorporating three doctors surgeries and own-door pharmacy unit on the ground floor, at Scurragh, Townparks, Birr.
The first floor accommodation will see a HSE Day Hospital complete with treatment rooms, consulting rooms, administration offices, and accommodation for a range of health services and departments such as public health nursing, physiotherapy, mental health, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, dentistry and general medical treatment services.
On the ground floor, a clinical room, occupational therapy room, hairdresser's, therapy room, group room, activities day centre, dining room, kitchen, laundry room and reception area, as well as staff admimistration offices and ancilliary accommodation will be housed.
A recent planning notice indicated there will be provision for 94 car parking spaces on the site, together with a bin store, ESB substation and client switchroom, along with ancillary services and siteworks. There will also be provision of pedestrian access route from the rear of the Primary Care Unit to the adjacent County Arms Hotel.
Birr Rugby Football Club also intend to carry out a range of upgrade works to its training pitch alongside the primary care unit, which will include for the provision of flood lighting for night time training, as well as provision of new flood ligting to the two existing Birr RFC pitches located to the south east of the clubhouse.
Plans for a new all-weather pitch, located to the south west of the clubhouse, and flood lighting are provided, as well as the construction of a new single storey changing rooms block to the south east of the clubhouse for Birr RFC, and a new car park consisting of 47 new car parking spaces, pedestrian access ramps and footpaths.
External upgrade works include the implementation of new traffic signal controls at the existing Railway Road (N52)/Scurragh Road three arm junction, and the removal of the existing zebra crossing opposite the Applegreen Service Station and its replacement with a dedicated pedestrian crossing on all three arms of the new traffic controlled junction.
The planning application for the massive medical development is expected to be formally lodged with Offaly County Council today (Friday).