16.13 Medical and Related Consultants and Medical Practices

Medical and Related Consultants and Medical Practices

Currently, premises for general practice and medical-related consultants include

a wide variety of building types, ranging from adaptations of domestic premises for single-handed practitioners to purpose-built premises for large group practices. In line with the Health Board policy on primary care, Dublin City Council will support the provision of healthcare consultants in district and neighbourhood centres. In assessing proposals for conversions in residential areas, Dublin City Council will normally permit conversion of part of a dwelling to a medical or related consultancy provided the dwelling remains as the main residence of the practitioner and where a local need has been demonstrated.

Dublin City Council will also take into account: ­

• Amenity and privacy of adjacent occupiers ­
• Adequate off-street parking facilities.

Medical centres or clinics are multiconsultancy medical facilities and defined in the ‘Land-use definitions’ section of this plan under Buildings for the Health, Safety or Welfare of the Public, as a clinic or for the provision of any medical or health services (but not the use of a house of a consultant or practitioner, or any building attached to the house or within the curtilage thereof, for that purpose).

Modern medical practice usually requires purpose-built structures and facilities, and these should be facilitated in district and neighbourhood centres. Residential buildings do not, in general, lend themselves well to efficient use as medical consultancy practice. Also, the complete conversion of residential premises as a medical consultancy can have adverse impacts on the residential amenity of a residential area, such as security problems, which will be taken into consideration. In exceptional circumstances, where there is a proven lack of such facilities in the local area and the property is of a sufficiently large size, the medical centre will be considered on its merits having regard to residential amenities of the local area.

In mixed-use developments, which include community, service and retail facilities at ground floor level, the use of a unit as a medical centre of an appropriate size which contributes to the vitality of the area, will be considered on its merits.