An Bord Pleanala

Our Ref: 29N.PA0043

P.A.Reg.Ref:
Your Ref:

Anne Lowen
10 Mayfield Road
Kilmninham
Dublin 8
30th September 2015
Re: Health Infrastructure Development comprising National Paediatric
Hospital, Innovation Centre and Family Accommodation Unit at St
James' Hospital Campus, Satellite Centres at Tallaght & Connolly
Hospitals and Construction Compound at Davitt Road, Dublin.

Dear Madam,
An Bord Pleamila has received your recent submission in relation to the above mentioned proposed development and will

take it into consideration in its determination of the matter. A receipt for the fee lodged is enclosed.
The Board will revert to you in due course with regard to the matter.
Please be advised that copies of all submissions I observations received in relation to the application will be made
available for public inspection at the offices of Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and South Dublin County
Council and at the offices of An Bord Pleanala when they have been processed by the Board.

If you have any queries in the meantime please contact the undersigned officer of the Board. Please quote the above
mentioned An Bord Pleanala reference number in any correspondence or telephone contact with the Board.
Yours faithfully,

~,sib:~
Kieran Somers
Executive Officer
Direct Line:O 1-8737107
Encis.
ADHOC/PA0043/0 1

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Received:..cb
Fee:

ANNE LOWEN

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Receipt No:

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10 MAYFIELD ROAD, KILMAINHAM, DUBLIN 8

To: The Secretary, An Bord Pleanala, 64 Marlborough St Dublin 1

Re: Case Ref: Pl29N. PA0043 New Children's Hospital at StJames's He

AN BORD PLE~A

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28 SEP 2015

OBSERVATION RE NATIONAL CHILDREN$' HOSPITAL

LTRDATEO

FROM

MY OBSERVATION IS THAT THIS APPEARS TO B A POORLY PLANNED, E<: 'f;fRIVEN PR9JECT.

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IT HAS BEEN CONCEIVED AS A PROJECT IN ISOLATION FROM THE REALITIES OF AN EXISTING

COMMUNITY. OUR COMMUNITY FUNCTIONS LIKE ANY OTHER- WITH POSITIVE ASPECTS AND
NEGATIVE ASPECTS. ONE OF THE POSITIVE ASPECTS IS OUR PROXIMITY TO THE CITY CENTRE. THIS IS
BEING EXPLOITED AND THE MAJOR NEGATIVE ASPECTS- POOR ACCESS TO OUR COMMUNITY, POOR
AIR QUALITY AND SEEMINGLY ENDLESS TRAFFIC JAMS- WILL BE COMPOUNDED IF THIS HOSPITAL
GOES AHEAD. HOW WILL CHILDREN- FROM ALL OVER IRELAND- ACCESS THE ALREADY
INACCESSIBLE?
I ASKED THIS QUESTION AT EVERY ONE OF THE INFORMATION SESSIONS HELD IN F2 BY THE
ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS. THEY HAD NO ANSWER, MADE NO ATTEMPT TO PRETEND THEY HAD
AN ANSWER AND GOT ANNOYED AT THE TEMERITY OF ANYONE TO QUESTION THEIR
PROFESSIONALISM. THEY REFUSED TO COUNTENANCE A QUITE LEGITIMATE QUESTION REGARDING
ACCESS FROM ANY OTHER ASPECT -IN PARTICULAR FROM THE SOUTH-EAST CORNER- CITING THE
LUAS AS A PROBLELM.
THESE SAME ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS, HAVING THEIR PLAN FOR THE MATER REJECTED, ARE, I
BELIEVE, IN RECEIPT OF A FEE OF 40MILLION FOR THAT FAILED PROJECT. THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY
WOULD HAVE GONE A LONG WAY IN PROVIDING AND EXPANDING SERVICES TO CHILDRENS'
HEALTH ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SURELY ACCESS TO A BUILDING FOR ITS USERS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE PLANS? INSTEAD OF
COMING UP WITH A VIABLE, CREATIVE SOLUTION, THE ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS HAVE USED
EXISTING ROADS AND ENTRANCES, ORIGINALLY BUILT WHEN TRAFFIC WAS MOSTLY HORSE-DRAWN.
WE WERE ASSURED -IN A MOST PATRONISING MANNER- DURING EACH OF THE f2 SESSIONSTHAT THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE EXACERBATED. THE PROPOSED HOSPITAL WILL HAVE
APPROXIMATELY 500 BEDS AND ADDITIONAL OUTPATIENTS, BRINGING UPWARDS OF 1, 500 EXTRA
CARS IN TO THE AREA ON A DAILY BASIS- AND THIS WILL HAVE NO IMPACT?
THE NCH "DROP IN" INFORMATION SESSIONS WERE NOTHING MORE THAN A CYNICAL MARKETING
EXERCISE. THE SCALE MODELS WERE SHOWN ONLY IN THE VERY LAST SESSION AND THE FULL
IMPACT HAS BEEN HIDDEN. SO FULL DISCLOSURE WAS NOT FORTHCOMING. I COMPLETELY OBJECT
TO THE IMPOSITION OF THIS HOSPITAL ON OUR COMMUNITY ON THE GROUNDS THAT IF IT GOES
AHEAD IT WILL BE TOO LATE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEMS OF ACCESS. THERE IS A LACK OF WILL BOTH
FROM THE ARCHITECTS AND THE ENGINEERS AND DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL TO EXPLAIN HOW THE
ACCESS SITUATION WILL BE OVERCOME AND THIS WORRIES ME GREATLY, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF
OBFUSCATION TO DATE.

WHY WAS A GREEN FIELD SITE ON NEWLANDS CROSS REJECTED -IT HAS ACCESS TO THE N7, MSO,
LUAS AND AMNCH TALLAGHT? WHY IS THE PREFERRED CHOICE OF NCH ALLIANCE AND THE JACK &
JILL FOUNDATION- CONNOLLY HOSPITAL BEING IGNORED? WHY IS THE PLAYER WILLS SITE NOT
BEING CONSIDERED? THERE ARE MANY MORE SUITABLE SITES WITH SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER
ACCESS.
NONE OF THIS IS LOGICAL AND SEEMS, AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS OBSERVATION, DRIVEN
BY EGOS WITH SCANT REGARD FOR REALITY AND RESOURCES.
SIGNED:

AN BORO PLEANALA
TIME

BY

2 8 SEP 2015
LTRDATED
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