An artist's impression of the completed Wollongong Day Surgery centre extension, situated behind the existing complex.
Wollongong Day Surgery has revealed plans to triple the size of its Crown Street centre.
Planning documents lodged with the Wollongong City Council outline a proposal to add a four-storey surgery wing to the rear of the existing single-storey complex, located next to Wollongong Hospital and an eight-storey private hospital that is already approved but yet to be built.
If approved, the expansion will more than triple the medical facility's floor space.
The building is set to be constructed and fitted out over two stages.
It will take the centre's current patient capacity from three pre-operation and five post-operation beds to nine pre-operation and 12 post-operation beds, and 12 post-operation chairs.
The planning documents indicate that IVF will be added to the list of services available at the centre once the expansion is completed.
Two single-storey houses in Urunga Street now being used as a doctor's surgery and administration office are earmarked for demolition to make way for the development.
Staff numbers at the centre will more than double, rising from 25 to 59.
The facility will also include additional parking to bring the total number of spaces in the complex to 43.
A planning report outlining the project, prepared by Gwynneville-based consultants TCG Planning, says the proposed addition to the surgery will have "positive social impacts" on the community by providing increased and improved medical facilities to the Illawarra.
The report notes that the need for additional medical services in the region "was well documented".
"The expanded facility will also provide additional employment in the health services industry, in addition to the additional positive economic flow-on effects that will be anticipated by the servicing of the facility by related businesses," the report said.
The council is assessing the application.
The Mercury contacted the surgery for comment yesterday but a spokesperson was not available.
