It’s been a decade in the planning, but so far the West Dapto field which was to become “the biggest private hospital and health precinct in NSW” remains a dusty construction site.
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However, that could soon change after a development application was recently lodged to begin construction on one small part of the ambitious Illawarra International Health Precinct.
Plans to build 44 self-contained units for seniors at the 10 hectare Avondale Road site are now on public exhibition through Wollongong council.
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Configured in 11 blocks of four, with two units on the ground floor and two on the first floor, the units will be accessible from Goolagong Street.
The seniors living units were originally planned to be the last part of the health precinct to be built – which at the times of its approval in 2010 was said to be worth $315 million.
However, according to documents with Wollongong council, “time, social planning and funding” issues have convinced the applicants it would be “more advantageous” to build then first.
“The precinct site has laid dormant now for some time,” the applicants admitted.
“It is attracting antisocial behaviour such as the dumping of garbage and vandalism.
“The building of these Independent Living Units will reinvigorate the site and deliver a gesture to the general public that the precinct project will come to realisation.”
Concept plans for the precinct were lodged with the NSW Government in 2008 and approved by Labor’s Minister for Planning Tony Kelly in 2010.
Then, stage one of the project – an “international specialist and surgicentre” with intensive care and high dependency beds – was due to start in six months and be completed in two years.
Pathology and radiology units, a hospital, pharmacy and a standalone obstetric unit were due to be built next, with a 304-bed hospital and educational centre to follow.
Earthworks and excavation began on part of the site in 2011, but since then, there has been little visible progress.
In 2012, the company was taken to the NSW Land and Environment Court by NSW Planning over alleged construction breaches at the site, which have since been resolved.
Then in 2013, as rumours that the hospital would move elsewhere swirls, a spokesman for the proponents La Vie Developments said bad weather and a complicated planning and approval process had slowed progress.
Developer Dr Brett Gooley then told the Mercury the surgicentre would be operational by 2015.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
