The proposed expansion of Wollongong Private Hospital has been refused. Image: Design Report/Assessment Report.
The NSW Government has rejected a bid to extend Wollongong Private Hospital, saying the developer’s refusal to supply information had hampered its ability to assess many of the project’s significant impacts.
The NSW Planning Department cited 24 reasons for refusing the State Significant Development Application (SSDA), many of which were issues raised during the public exhibition of the proposal earlier this year.
But top of the list was the applicant’s refusal to respond to submissions and comments made by the public, Wollongong City Council and NSW government agencies.
These included the development obstructing Wollongong Hospital’s emergency helicopter operations, the non-compliant floorspace ratio and building height (a 60 per cent variation from 32 m to 51.2 m), the bulk and scale of the proposal being inconsistent with the surrounding area and the adverse impact of traffic, particularly pedestrian safety on Urunga Parade.
In the latest application to extend the 10-year-old facility, the site owner and developer, AA Crown Holdings Pty Limited, had proposed a $127 million 12-storey extension, a new emergency department, more operating theatres, radiation oncology services, a “medi-hotel” and a birthing centre for the Indigenous community.
The SSDA, in which the developer details the proposal, the reasons why it’s justified and how it meets local and state guidelines, was put out for public comment in April and May.
The usual process is for the department to review submissions received during the exhibition period and determine if further information is required from the applicant, who is given a deadline in which to respond. The department further reviews the applicant’s responses before it makes a final recommendation to the Planning Minister or his delegate to approve or reject the application.
However in this case, the applicant replied with: “A further response will not be provided to the department’s request for a response to submissions and it respectfully requests that the department continues to finalise its assessment of the application on the basis of the documents provided.”
The department made a second request for further information, which the applicant again declined.
On Tuesday (18 August) the department published its 74-page assessment report outlining the reasons for refusal.
“As the applicant did not provide a response to submissions or a response to information requests from the department, there is insufficient evidence to assess many of the project’s significant impacts,” it said.
“Therefore, the department has been unable to fulfil its statutory obligations under relevant legislation and environmental planning instruments and therefore consent cannot be granted.
“Further, the department’s assessment of the available information concluded the project in its current form would result in unacceptable environmental impacts due to unresolved bulk and scale impacts, obstruction to Wollongong Hospital’s helicopter flight path and transport impacts. As such, the department considers that the project is not in the public interest and is recommended for refusal.”
The current Wollongong Private Hospital. Photo: Keeli Dyson.
The department found that the development would result in “potentially detrimental impacts on the important operations of Wollongong Hospital and its ability to use helicopters to respond to healthcare emergencies in the region”.
In its refusal, the department said the applicant had failed to provide sufficient information to:
- demonstrate the project would not result in unacceptable traffic impacts
- demonstrate the proposed car parking provision and access arrangements are adequate
- demonstrate there would not be impacts on the heritage-listed Moreton Bay Fig at Beatson Park
- demonstrate the project would not result in unacceptable noise and vibration impacts during construction and operation
- determine whether the development is potentially hazardous
- demonstrate that the project does not result in site isolation of 370 Crown Street and that redevelopment of that site could occur if this development is approved
- identify the extent of lot consolidation, internal demolition and alteration works that form part of the project
- assess proposed signage, which is required under section 3.6 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Industry and Employment) 2021
- detail proposed earthworks which is required under clause 7.6 of the WLEP.
The department said the development would result in unacceptable bulk and scale impacts, including visual impacts and overshadowing.
“The department considers there is insufficient evidence to determine the project would not result in unacceptable overshadowing impacts [on] the adjoining properties, including the heritage-listed Moreton Bay Fig in Beatson Park,” it said.
The department also identified key issues with the applicant’s traffic modelling, pointing out that the traffic survey data from 2024 was unreliable as the counts were taken when the entrance driveway via the Crown Street signalised intersection was closed and a traffic management solution was in place at the time.
“The traffic generation rate adopted in the TIA [Traffic Impact Assessment] is based on the existing private hospital. This approach is flawed as the existing hospital has a significantly different breakdown of uses with a greater number of hospital beds and a smaller proportion of medical centre suites/consulting rooms,” the report said.
It also found “significant deficiencies” with the car parking assessment in the TIA and requested they be addressed by the applicant, who declined to provide a response.
The SSDA was the latest attempt to gain approval for an extension to the hospital. In 2022, a development application was submitted for a nine-storey extension but it was rejected by the then Planning and Environment Department.
Initially the developer appealed the rejection but later withdrew it.
Original Article published by Jen White on Region Illawarra.
