What are you proposing?
The NSW Government has committed to building a new Shellharbour Hospital, at Dunmore Road, Dunmore.
In May 2021 the preferred location was selected following a public site identification process, including consideration of key criteria such as size, developable land area, access, and future expansion.
In June 2022 the NSW Government announced the completion of the land acquisition process for the land at Dunmore Road, paving the way for the new Shellharbour Hospital to be built.
A range of services will be included in the new hospital, including:
- Expanded emergency services
- Increased surgical capacity
- Rehabilitation and aged care services
- Acute medical services
- New mental health services in contemporary, patient-centred facilities
- Renal dialysis
- Outpatients and ambulatory care services
- A new multi-storey car park and improved public transport links.
Now that you have purchased the land, do you know where the hospital will be located?
At this stage we still don’t have exact details about the specific location of the hospital. These details are being worked through as the planning phase progresses in the coming months.
How was the site selected?
An overarching governance structure implemented by Health Infrastructure to oversee the site selection process was complete. This included a public site selection process, where landholders could nominate their properties for consideration.
As part of this process, independent property advisors helped to determine the most suitable location, which included undertaking detailed due diligence on identified sites to find those which would best meet the health needs of the region.
How much did the land cost?
Land has been acquired as part of the more than $700 million Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services project.
When will construction commence?
We are currently in the early planning stages of the project. The main works construction timeframe will be confirmed once the planning is further progressed.
When will you show us your plans and consult with the community?
We have commenced our community consultation program for the Concept Design. Please visit the Get Involved page on this website to find out where you can view the plans and meet the team.
What is the project budget?
More than $700 million has been committed to the Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services project, which includes $570 from the NSW Government for the new hospital, a further $23.3 million committed for a new carpark, and an Australian Government contribution of $128 million.
Why do we need a new hospital?
Our population is growing and our people are living longer with chronic and complex illnesses. By 2031, the Shoalhaven catchment is forecast to grow 12%, with significantly faster population growth in the 70+ age groups.
To provide high quality, accessible healthcare for our growing population, we need a significantly larger hospital, in both size and capability. The future hospital needs to be close to transport links and integrated with a wide range of health services to better serve the needs of our community now and into the future.
We also want to incorporate the lessons, the insights and the many breakthroughs we've made as a health service during COVID-19 to future-proof our services and the buildings that house them.
Why can’t we rebuild at the existing site?
The existing location on Madigan Boulevard is too small for further expansion. Shellharbour needs a new purpose-built hospital for contemporary health care.
Why did you commence early works on the existing hospital if you are not proceeding on the existing site?
The early works, including a new ground-level car park at the existing Shellharbour Hospital were completed in early 2020, which will help allow for the continued delivery of services at the current hospital while planning and construction of the new hospital takes place.
How tall will the new hospital be?
The new hospital will be between 2 and 6 storeys high depending on the location. It has been designed in a way to be sympathetic to the surrounding enviornment. The final size and shape will be determined in the next phase of design and will be informed by community and consumer consultation.
What will the new hospital look like?
The detailed design of the building, including the exterior will be worked through further as the design process progresses.
How will you minimise impacts to the local neighbours?
We will work closely with our neighbours to ensure impacts are minimised as much as posisble. For example, the new hospital will be set back from Dunmore Road and be surrounded by trees and specific landscaping to ensuer visual and noise impacts are minimised.