Proposed Goulburn St, Liverpool private hospital at risk of isolation in major flood, says SES
Fears that hundreds of people could be isolated inside a planned high-rise hospital for more than 14 hours during a major flood emergency have been dismissed by Liverpool Council.
Liverpool
Don't miss out on the headlines from Liverpool. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Fears by the SES that hundreds of people could be isolated inside a planned high-rise private hospital for more than 14 hours during a major flood emergency have been dismissed by Liverpool Council, which says no such flood risk exists.
Plans for a $355m private hospital, standing almost 80m tall, has been lodged for 61 – 71 Goulburn St, Liverpool just a stone’s throw from the existing Liverpool public hospital.
According to the planning proposal, the health hub would include up to 155 hospital beds and provide services such as radiology, chemotherapy and oncology.
The proposed hospital would create about 1050 jobs and be used for research and training for Western Sydney University, University of New South Wales, and the Ingham Institute.
The SES, which provided advice on proposed amendments to the planning proposal which included changing the hospital’s maximum height from 35m to 79m, said in the event of the worst possible flood the building would be isolated for “14 or more hours”.
“Evacuation of hospitals and aged care can be complex and is known to be associated with an increased rate of mortality in patients and nursing facility residents,” according to the SES.
The SES recommended a bridge link between the public and private hospital to “maintain connection during flood events”, above-ground level parking for “safe and effective” evacuation and podium level pedestrian access.
However, Liverpool Council’s Georges River Floodplain Risk Management Study states the site wouldn’t be impacted if the worst-case flood took place.
“Council’s assessment of the planning proposal is that the subject site is not located in a flood planning area, and flood emergency evacuation from the premises is not a matter for consideration from council’s perspective,” council documents state.
Liverpool mayor Ned Mannoun said council strongly supported the increase in height for the new hospital to “meet the demands of a growing population of southwest Sydney”.
“Currently a hospital can be built and any considerations regarding flooding will be dealt with during the development application process,” he said.
“This has been in the works for 10 years... it is time this progresses forward and if we want more housing and more health services and here is a simple way for the state government to deliver it,” he said.
“We have 20,000 people moving into southwest Sydney every year.. and we’ll be bursting at the seams without new hospital services.”
Mozzie funding fail before Sydney insect explosion
A southwest Sydney council failed to allocate funds to its mosquito management plan for two years. Now, locals at their wit’s end as they continue to battle a pesky insect “plague”.
‘What about my family?’: Bail plea after alleged train touching
A father accused of offering a girl $50 for sex on a Sydney train has been denied bail a second time, despite pleading to return home after his wife gave birth.