Kiama council is now calling for expressions of interest for an external project manager and an architect to progress the $73 million project to the construction stage.

Conditional approval of council’s proposal was granted by the Joint Regional Planning Panel in December, subject to amendments.

On January 19, council received notification that the development application had been formally approved.

“Modifications made to the original application included the addition of some privacy louvres to the independent living units for the benefit of neighbours in Holden Avenue,” council’s director of community services Clare Rogers said.  

“Another modification included increasing the setback of the building by a couple of metres from the western boundary to improve the privacy of neighbours in Reid Street.

”The appointed architect will prepare detailed drawings required for a construction certificate, and council is planning to commence construction later this year.”

The first stage of the redevelopment includes the demolition of existing buildings (except heritage-listed cottage Barroul House) and remediation of the site.

This stage will also include the development of a 134-bed residential aged care facility, 16 assisted living units, a community centre and community care office, and restoration and adaptive reuse of Barroul House.

The second stage comprises 51 seniors’ living units.

The completion of the first stage is anticipated by late 2018, with stage two to be completed by the end of 2020. The project has received $8 million in funding from the state government’s Restart NSW Illawarra Infrastructure Fund.

The hospital site has been subdivided, with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District retaining a section of land to build a new community health facility on the site.