Plans now underway to upgrade road to proposed Midlands Hospice site
Offaly County Council has published plans to upgrade the road at Arden Lane, Tullamore (part of which is pictured), which will serve the planned new Midlands Hospice.
The proposed works, which also include other infrastructural improvements, are being proposed as a Part 8 process, which allows for community input before a final decision can be made on the project.
At the start of the month An Coimisiún Pleanála granted planning permission for the construction of the new 20-bed Midlands Hospice, subject to 14 conditions, following a lengthy planning process.
As part of the conditions detailed by An Coimisiún Pleanala when granting planning permission for the Midlands Hospice, the national planning body stated that “no development shall commence until all the necessary road improvement works are carried out to the L-20032-1 and confirmed in writing by Offaly County Council, as roads authority for such works”.
An additional condition requested that the HSE (the developer) “shall pay a financial contribution of €1,284,846 (including VAT) to the planning authority 'in respect of required infrastructural upgrade works to the L-20032-1”.
The required works are inclusive of roads, footpaths, public lighting and storm sewer, which benefits the proposed development.
“It is considered reasonable that the developer should contribute towards the expenditure incurred or proposed to be incurred by Offaly County Council in respect of the exceptional costs of the improvement of road infrastructure arising from the impact of the proposed development”.
Offaly County Council Director of Services Paul McLoughlin confirmed to the Offaly Independent that the proposed project "relates to the works required for the provision and upgrade of roads and infrastructure at the Midlands Hospice location".
The Director of Services also stated that the required infrastructure and the financial contribution payable by the HSE were "set out within the conditional grant of planning consent" by An Coimisiún Pleanála.
Information submitted by the HSE to Offaly County Council in September 2025, following a request from the local authority for further information on the Hospice development, confirmed that road improvement works to Arden Lane were “no longer within the scope of this current planning application'”, submitted by the developer.
The HSE also stated at the time that it was its “understanding that, Offaly County Council intend to complete the upgrades to enable appropriate access infrastructure, including the provision of a pedestrian footpath and street lighting separately”.
The proposed road upgrade and infrastructural works to be undertaken at Arden Lane, Tullamore, include the provision of a single carriageway, approximately 320 metres in length and 5.5 metres wide and a footpath of similar length and 1.8 metres wide in the direction of the pitch and putt club sports facility.
Sewerage and water mains works to allow for future domestic connections are detailed in the proposed works with the installation of electrical and telecommunication ducting also detailed to facilitate local developments.
The installation of public lighting, road markings and signage is also proposed as part of the works which will additionally see the creation of a cul-de-sac from the existing entrance at Arden Lane to its intersection with the new road at Kingswood housing scheme.
Offaly County Council has advised the public that plans are available for inspection or purchase until July 17, with submissions open on or before 12pm on August 4