Dural Health Hub, Round Corner: developer bypasses council refusal on controversial hospital plans
A controversial vision for a major health hub in a rural suburb on the outskirts of Sydney has been revived, with planners bypassing a council refusal. See the plans.
Hills Shire
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Developers have revived a multimillion-dollar proposal for a state-of-the-art health hub in Sydney’s northwest — already refused by a Sydney council — by calling on the NSW Government to green-light the plans.
Healing ONR submitted a planning proposal to reshape land at 679-685 Old Northern Rd, Dural into a “diversified health services facility” featuring specialist and allied doctors clinics and a 23-hour-a-day hospital service to Hornsby Council in April.
A planner said the proposal would “strengthen the local and regional economy”, inject millions in investment and employment opportunities, and provide local residents and surrounding aged care providers with health services closer to home.
“The proposal will positively contribute to the emerging character of the Round Corner Town
Centre by facilitating a suitably designed development that delivers an appropriate transition
between the (town centre) expansion site including apartments and townhouses to the west - up to 7 storeys - and the semi-rural land further east,” the planner said.
Plans earmarked the construction of a three-storey health services facility, with 19 specialist consulting rooms, a 16-room medical centre, pathology collection area, medical imaging centre, retail space, medical laboratories and a day surgery with 4 operating rooms, 20 recovery bays and 15 short stay beds and an ambulance bay.
As many as 315 jobs were touted by planners as part of the medical hub, alongside an economic injection of $34 million.
However, in July Hornsby councillors refused the development from progressing, arguing council saw inconsistencyes with regional plans, incompatibility with rural zonings, impact on surrounding properties and traffic.
Meanwhile, planners from The Hills SHire Council raised issues around the “constraint to development in Round Corner and heavy traffic across the town centre.
“There is a planned hospital to be delivered at Rouse Hill, which is expected to service much of the growth in new release areas and potentially a catchment within Hornsby,” the Hills Shire Council planner said. “It is anticipated that the hospital will be a catalyst for further health facilities in Rouse Hill, and council’s precinct planning will investigate ways to support this. Consideration should be given to the need for a facility in this locality, in light of the future context at Rouse Hill and the potential for co-locating health facilities.”
The rezoning review application will now be determined by a NSW Planning delegate.
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