The hospital has its origins in the Down County Infirmary which opened in Saul Street in October 1767.

[4] A modern hospital, which was designed by Scott Wilson Group[5] and built on Ardglass Road at a cost of £64 million, opened in June 2009.

[6] After services transferred to the new hospital, the old infirmary on Pound Lane closed and was acquired by a developer in November 2014.

The development includes a range of new social houses in the form of apartments, two and three storey homes and bungalows.

Both buildings have been incorporated into the development plan as apartment blocks and work began on their restoration in April 2021.