Childcare facility planned for former nursing home in Portlaoise

PLANNING permission is being sought to covert Ballard Lodge nursing home to a childcare facility.

The Portlaoise nursing home, along the Borris Road in Portlaoise closed in April leaving 24 of its elderly residents and their families looking for alternative accommodation, while more than 30 staff members lost their jobs.

The nursing home management cited escalating costs and ongoing regulatory pressures for its closure decision.

It has now emerged that Hope ChildCare is seeking approval from Laois County Council for ‘change of use permission’ of the existing nursing home to a childcare facility and respite centre.

The approval is being sought to include for the renovation and remodelling of part of the existing building to accommodate a childcare facility to accommodate 82 children with an after-school room, with opening hours of 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday. As well as the renovation and remodelling part of the existing building to accommodate a childcare facility to accommodate six bedrooms with kitchen extension, demolition of a number of outbuildings and sheds on the site, with amended ground works for play areas and provision of carparking spaces.