Sound barrier plan for Midland Hospice site in Tullamore

The HSE has lodged plans for the erection of a three-metre-tall sound barrier around the western and northern boundaries of its planned 20-bed Midlands Hospice at Arden Lane in Tullamore.

Planning approval for the acoustic barrier and associated landscaping works is being sought from Offaly County Council through a planning application lodged on May 7.

According to a cover letter submitted on behalf of the HSE by Coady Architects, the installation of the acoustic barrier is "intended to enhance the site setting on the western and northern boundaries, with the proposed 3m high aluminium acoustic wall offset within the site boundary to allow for the retention the existing hedgerows".

The applicant added that a new hedgerow is due to be put in place on the site side of the boundary wall in order to "provide a visual screening of the acoustic barrier".

A letter of consent from the owners of the site, Tullamore Lions Club, was submitted as part of the planning application, a decision on which is due to be made by the local authority on or before July 1.

Planning permission for the specialist Level 3 hospice was granted by the council at the beginning of the year, and the Government has committed €24 million in capital funding towards the development.

An appeal against the award of planning permission for the hospice was lodged in January but was subsequently withdrawn.