Plans by the Denis O'Brien controlled Beacon Hospital for a €75m eight storey extension have been stalled.
This follows An Bord Pleanála confirming that an appeal has been lodged against the decision to grant planning permission for the 70 care bed extension by the 70 owners and tenants of the Beacon One apartment complex.
The appeal by Beacon One Management CLG puts the expansion plan on hold for at least four months and with the appeals board dealing with a growing backlog of cases, the delay is likely to be longer.
The scheme also includes new A&E facilities, cancer care facilities and associated in-patient treatment rooms.
The planning application involves the substantive demolition of the eight storey Beacon Hotel which the Beacon Hospital purchased late in 2020 from US billionaire, John Malone’s MHL Collection luxury hotel group.
The local authority found that the hospital extension does not detract from the amenities of the area and is consistent with the provisions of the current Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Development Plan.
Beacon One Management CLG lodged an initial objection last September and followed up with a fresh submission in January in response to further information lodged by the applicants.
In its most recent submission, consultants for the apartment owners, BPS Planning Consultants re-iterated the apartment owners’ call to refuse planning permission.
Director at BPS Planning Consultants, Brendan Buck stated that his clients believe the proposed A&E and hospital use is incompatible with the old hotel building.
Mr Buck contended that the scheme is not in accordance with the proper planning and development of the area and the issues raised in the Council’s request for further information have not been addressed.
The Council granted planning permission after concluding that the proposal will not adversely impact the infrastructural capacity serving the existing residents of the Beacon One Apartments.
Outlining the need for the development, planning consultants for the Beacon stated that the hospital has undergone significant exponential growth particularly in the last seven years due to the increase in demand across all specialities.
The report lodged with the planning application states that in 2021, the hospital has conducted over 23,750 surgeries.
The report states that Beacon Hospital had 43,379 inpatient nights in 2016 and they expect to have 56,375 in 2021 - a 30% increase.
"In order to provide additional sustainable and adequate clinical care Beacon Hospital needs to provide more patient beds," the report contended.
The most recent accounts for the Beacon Hospital show that it recorded revenues of €152m in 2020 and enjoyed operating profits of €3.7m.
