Developers Bartra have secured permission for a 131 bedroom nursing home in Galway on the site of the former Warwick nightclub, once host to famous music acts including Sinéad O’Connor, Coldplay, New Order and The Pogues.
Galway City Council granted planning for the four storey development at the O’Connor’s Warwick Hotel site on Upper Salthill Rd that also housed the Oasis nightclub. Both are now demolished.
The site has been vacant for a number of years. A previous 2019 An Bord Pleanála planning permission for a 60 bedroom nursing home secured by Dublin firm Rushmany Nursing Home Ltd was not proceeded with.
Bartra currently has a separate application for a 104 bedroom nursing home for Dalkey in South Dublin before An Bord Pleanála. It is proposed for lands adjacent to the home of broadcaster Pat Kenny and is facing strong opposition from the Newstalk presenter and other residents.
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The healthcare arm of the Bartra property group operates three nursing homes and one step-down facility.
Bartra had initially sought permission from Galway City Council last July for a 154 bedroom nursing home at the former Warwick site.
However, after the Council expressed concern over the scale of the then five storey facility, Bartra removed the top floor and reduced the number of bedrooms from 154 to 131.
Its planning consultant, Patricia Thornton of Thornton O’Connor Town Planning, told the council the principle of such a “valuable community service” in the area of Salthill was established with the previous grant of permission for a nursing home on the site.
Ms Thornton submitted that the principle of larger and higher-density development “is considered acceptable by both Galway City Council and An Bord Pleanála”.
She stated that the nursing home has a high-quality design and will enhance the local streetscape.
The council received five submissions including one from Stefanesco Andrei who said the original 154 bedroom scheme was a “totally excessive number of bed spaces which will lead to traffic chaos and unsuitable parking”.
The Galway resident said while the site was suitable for a nursing home, the proposal was too dominant and represented an over-intensification of development.
