Delay on $200 million Repat redevelopment deal, but talks continuing
THE proposed $200 million redevelopment of the Repatriation General Hospital site remains stalled in talks, more than a month after the contract was expected to be signed.
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THE proposed $200 million redevelopment of the Repatriation General Hospital site remains stalled in talks, more than a month after the contract was expected to be signed.
The ACH Group leading the Open Daws consortium last year indicated to a parliamentary committee that February 25 was the likely date for the deal to be sealed with the State Government.
The not-for-profit group says it has a seven-year vision to turn the site into a futuristic ‘smart community’ village.
In response to inquiries by The Advertiser, chief executive of the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Professor Michael O’Keefe, said: “We continue to finalise the contract paperwork with ACH Group and still expect to handover the Repat site later this year.”
The ACH Group released a statement saying: “Negotiations with SA Health are progressing well.”
Both declined to comment on reasons behind the delay, although money is a pivotal negotiating point.
ACH officials previously have declined to nominate a purchase price — or if the deal would allow the consortium to onsell parcels of the precinct — while contract negotiations are under way.
Once the contract is signed ACH intends to draw up a masterplan to be ready to start building when the State Government hands over the site in December.
Under the plan the site would have three forms of residential aged care: short-term for people who temporarily can’t stay in their own home such as on discharge from hospital; longer-term “experimental” accommodation for people who need some care; and long-term aged care for “early adopters living in a smart community”.
It would have palliative care, healthcare, education and research facilities, retail outlets plus student and “affordable” housing.
The Open Daws consortium also includes Adelaide Community Healthcare Alliance, Healthscope, Anglicare, Flinders University and RDNS.
Orthotics and Prosthetics SA and the Chapel, Museum and Remembrance Garden will remain at the Repat site but other services will move including:
A NEW $15 million Veterans’ Mental Health Precinct, named The Jamie Larcombe Centre, will be established at Glenside Health Service Campus;
SOUTHERN Adelaide Palliative Care Services will be located at Flinders Medical Centre;
SURGICAL services will be relocated to other hospitals. In the South, surgical services will be managed at Flinders Medical Centre and Noarlunga Hospital, with Flinders Medical Centre focusing on elective multi-day surgery and Noarlunga Hospital focusing on elective day surgery;
MENTAL health services for older people with acute mental health needs will be provided at Flinders Medical Centre in a new building.