Galway Hospice is seeking legal advice about mounting a challenge to a decision overturning planning permission for a new hospice facility.
An Bord Pleanála decided last week to block Galway Hospice from building a new facility on its planned site near Merlin Park Hospital.
Galway city council had previously granted permission for the planned 36 bed facility, which would have become the primary palliative care unit in Galway.
A challenge was mounted on environmental grounds, namely that the specific spot chosen for the hospice was a protected Lowland Meadow.
The Friends of Merlin Woods, who were one of the parties to the appeal, have said that they support the development of the new hospice, but that there are other more suitable sites on the campus.
An Bord Pleanála supported the environmental group’s position that there is “significant biodiversity” on the site which would be lost, and that the development contravenes zoning requirements under the city development plan.
Galway Hospice had been seeking a new home for the best part of a decade as its current facility in Renmore can no longer keep up with demand.
The hospice is now considering whether to pursue a judicial review of An Bord Pleanála’s decision, RTÉ reports.
