A new state-of-the-art surgical hub is to be developed on the former Glanbia grounds in Maypark in Waterford City.
This comes following the disposal of 8 and a half acres by Waterford City & County Council to the HSE for just under 1 and a half million euros.
The surgical hub is just one of three being proposed to be developed around the country.
Speaking at last night's Plenary Council meeting, CEO of Waterford Council, Michael Walsh discussed the transfer of land.
"The reality is that there's a surgical hub proposed for here", said Mr. Walsh. "The HSE would have been looking at doing that within the confines of their existing site - but found that they had difficulties in doing so. This presented a particular opportunity."
"There is a significant urgency because the hub is one of three being proposed in the country", he explained. "It's a really significant development. We had to make it happen urgently. We're effectively taking the contact which we were executing with Glanbia and just transferring it. We're buying the site from Glanbia as part of an agreement that was reached 4-5 years ago based upon independent valuations in the past year. We're effectively getting the majority of the money back from the HSE for the site. We are keeping the few acres of woodland, which are zoned amenity and they will be used in an amenity context - we would like to sustain that into the future."
