MEDIA RELEASE

Minister for Planning

2 May 2007

PLANS PROGRESS FOR THREE HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENTS

Planning Minister Frank Sartor today announced progress on plans to redevelop three major Sydney hospitals - Auburn, Royal North Shore and St Vincent's hospitals.

Minister Sartor said he had approved Concept Plans for the Royal North Shore proposal and Stage 2 of the Auburn Hospital redevelopment, following Stage 1 approval earlier this year.

The Minister has also approved redevelopment plans for St Vincent's Hospital, including a scaled-back residential and commercial development on the Caritas site.

Minister Sartor said the plans ensure a balance between providing quality healthcare and considering the needs of local residents.

"Communities have been consulted on all three proposals and the plans have been amended to reflect public feedback," Mr Sartor said.

"These capital works will deliver improved healthcare services and ensure the hospitals retain their reputation as leaders in areas such as cancer and genetics."\

The approvals are:

· Concept Plan and Project Application approval for a $41 million redevelopment at St Vincent's Hospital and a residential and commercial development on the Caritas site;

· Concept Plan approval for a $1 billion worth of development on the Royal North Shore Hospital site, including a $702 million redevelopment of the hospital; and

· Stage 2 Concept Plan approval for a $170 million redevelopment of Auburn Hospital, to provide 20 additional beds on the existing 2.27 hectare hospital site.

St Vincent's Hospital

Minister Sartor said the St Vincent's Hospital redevelopment would deliver an eight storey purpose-built centre for integrated mental health, drug and alcohol and community services with 27 in-patient beds.

Existing mental health services would be relocated from the Caritas site and a residential and commercial development built in its place.

"The hospital wants to improve mental health services at the site, which it says are inadequate in the current facilities," Mr Sartor said.

"The new building would provide an integrated service with inpatients, an assessment and treatment centre, interview and meeting rooms, service call centre, education and research facilities.

"The approval conditions address important issues such as building height, heritage and traffic impacts.

"The plans for the Caritas site have been significantly scaled back in response to community feedback, including a reduction from 12 to a maximum of seven storeys."

Royal North Shore Hospital

The Royal North Shore proposal was publicly exhibited in August last year and attracted two submissions from local residents.

"The redevelopment will provide new state-of-the-art hospital facilities, including new hospital buildings, a community precinct and research and education facilities," Minister Sartor said.

"It will centralise existing outdated buildings which are scattered around the large site into more efficient centres to provide better health services.

"It will include some privately funded commercial and residential development close to public transport, to support the new hospital facilities and encourage sustainable transport use."

Auburn Hospital

The second approval, for Stage 2 of the $170 million Auburn Hospital redevelopment, includes relocating the St Josephs Hospital from its location on Normanby Street to be integrated with the new Auburn Hospital.

It also includes some residential development and attracted four submissions from residents during public exhibition in October and November last year.

Minister Sartor said the height of the residential towers was reduced from nine to six storeys, in response to community feedback.

"The residential development will be close to services and transport," Minister Sartor said.

"The public will have further chance to comment as more detailed plans for Stage 2 are released for consultation."

Initial plans for Stage 1 of the Auburn Hospital redevelopment were approved earlier this year. The new five-storey hospital will be a major boost to health services for Western Sydney residents.

It will include a new emergency department, new birthing options, more endoscopy procedures, general surgery, enhanced paediatric medicine networking with the Children's Hospital, Westmead and ambulatory services for satellite renal dialysis.