Sir, – News that the National Asset Management Agency (Nama) is preparing to take control of properties owned by Treasury Holdings (Home News, January 12th) means that the agency would now fully control virtually all the vacant sites on the north side of the Liffey in Dublin Docklands North Lotts area.
It seems obvious that the Mater Hospital site is too small to accommodate the enormous building proposed for the National Children’s Hospital. The negative environmental impact on its surroundings has already been highlighted in your newspaper. The high costs of building on a confined site with a large underground car park are difficult to justify in our present straitened circumstances. Cost in use, with multiple lifts and air conditioning, is also likely to be high and will present the taxpayer with a high annual bill. Access is poor and high capacity public transport in the form of Metro North is unlikely to be available in the foreseeable future.
By contrast North Lotts is centrally located in relation to public transport with a Luas line that connects to national mainline rail at Heuston and Connolly Stations as well as the national bus system at the Busáras. The area enjoys easy access from the M50 via the Port Tunnel.
It is far better placed to serve the population nationally. The area can more readily accommodate a large building complex and affords an opportunity to design efficiently and build economically. It is close to the Mater Hospital for support and related services and is also close to Trinitys medical school.
It is an ideal alternative location for the new hospital. In time, it would stimulate the completion of the urban renewal of the area and assist Nama in securing a good return from its property acquisitions. – Yours, etc,