This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
THE Blacktown Council has given the green light for a $1.3 billion health and education precinct, including a new private hospital, to be delivered in NSW’s most populous local government area.
The Council last week voted to approve the area adjoining Blacktown Public Hospital for immediate redevelopment as a health and education precinct after receiving state planning approval in March, and developer Blacktown Square has already received interest from healthcare, aged care and education providers to help anchor the development with multiple MOUs entered into.
The NSW government tipped in more than $700 million in redeveloping the Blacktown Public Hospital between 2016 and 2020. It expects the current population of around 400,000 to exceed 600,000 by 2041. Blacktown Public Hospital is now NSW’s third-largest and the largest teaching hospital without a co-located private hospital.
Blacktown Public Hospital has a history of staff shortages and long emergency room wait times.
Blacktown Square has amalgamated a three-hectare site to facilitate the proposed new private hospital and associated health, innovation and lifestyle precinct.
“Blacktown Square will now become a large-scale multi-discipline medical, education, innovation, life sciences, and integrated seniors living anchored asset with an end value exceeding $1.25 billion and covering over 120,000 sqm of floor space,” said a Blacktown Square company spokesperson.
The Private Hospital will be built in the first phase of the development, alongside a large oncology and radiology facility, pathology labs, clinical trial facilities and supporting allied and specialist medical services.
Later stages of the project will include seniors living, key worker housing, a university campus as well as essential support services including retail, childcare, bars, cafes and car parking facilities.
According to planning and development advisory firm, Ethos Urban, the Blacktown Square precinct will support around 3,240 FTE direct ongoing jobs, contributing an estimated $308.5 million in value-add into Blacktown economy annually.
“This is a transformational project for the area, addressing the needs of our rapidly growing population,” said Member for Blacktown and former Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali.
“The private hospital, as well as co-located medical research premises, will create game-changing opportunities for residents and improved access to healthcare across the region.”
Julie Phillips, CEO of Australian biotech company BioDiem Ltd and Lifesciences advisor to the Blacktown Square precinct, said, “This now provides a unique opportunity to create a modern large-scale life sciences industry and innovation hub to develop and deliver new advanced health technologies.”
Director at Ethos Urban, Tom Goode, who acted on behalf of Blacktown Square, said, “A cornerstone to the success of the precinct is the delivery of a true, co-located Private Hospital, which is then the catalyst for further allied and complimentary development, including additional health care, tertiary education facilities, aged care, medical research, key worker housing and future complementary retail and community facilities.”
