Councillor calls for demolition of Downe

Councillor calls for demolition of Downe

THE former Downe Hospital in Downpatrick should be bulldozed, according to a local councillor.

The Pound Lane building has been lying empty for three years and has been reduced to an eyesore by continued vandalism attacks and by damage caused by thieves

The former hospital is a listed building and cannot be bulldozed, but Downpatrick councillor Dermot Curran believes this special status should be removed and the former hospital demolished.

The Pound Lane site is owned by the South Eastern Trust and it has emerged this week that officials from the organisation recently failed to have the former hospital’s protected status removed by the Environment Agency.

A Trust spokeswoman said its officials met with the Environment Agency to discuss “de-listing” the former Victorian hospital building, “but this is not being allowed to happen at present.”

Councillor Curran believes bulldozing the former hospital would make the site a more attractive proposition for potential investors with any future development also helping to regenerate this part of Downpatrick.

“I can’t see any investors buying what is a huge plot of land because the main hospital building and former dining hall at the rear, which was the site of the original Downpatrick Infirmary, are both protected.

“Removing this protection could pave the way for the redevelopment of the site which has recently been viewed by hoteliers. Since the hospital closed the main buildings have deteriorated considerably and are now in a sorry state.”

Councillor Curran said his biggest fear is that the longer the site remains undeveloped, the more the two remaining buildings are going to fall further into disrepair and no developer will want to buy them.

“The Department of Health employed specialist consultants to devise a masterplan detailing what new development could happen at the former hospital site which sits on a huge swathe of land.

“The masterplan suggestions included new housing and office accommodation, bed and breakfast provision and while a new hotel wasn’t included, the possibility of such a development has not been completely discounted.

“While such suggestions are good, I believe they won’t materialise as developers are not allowed to bulldoze the buildings that remain.”

Councillor Curran said the former hospital site is “ideally placed” to house a new hotel, residential or retail development and hopes such investment can come to fruition.

It has been confirmed that work to demolish the former St. John’s House adjacent to the former Downe and the old Pound Lane health clinic could start shortly.

Work to remove asbestos discovered during a pre-demolition survey started on Monday at the former health clinic and contractors moved into the former residential home next week.