Prince of Wales Hospital on track
The $720 Randwick hospital campus redevelopment remains on course for completion in 2022 despite land acquisition delays, the NSW Government has said.
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The $720 Randwick hospital campus redevelopment remains on course for completion in 2022 despite land acquisition delays, the NSW Government has said.
Last Wednesday, Health Infrastructure reissued 34 proposed acquisition notices for properties surrounding the hospital precinct, after a NSW Supreme Court decision overturned government land acquisition in Rozelle.
The decision, which prevented the State Government from forcibly acquiring land for WestConnex from property developer Desane, cast doubt over remaining properties in the state facing compulsory acquisition.
New notices were issued where contract exchange had yet to occur, a Health Infrastructure spokeswoman said, “to address any uncertainty resulting from the court decision and ensure that the project continues to be delivered on schedule”.
“Homes and businesses have been doorknocked and, where possible, affected owner-occupiers and tenants were given the new notices by their personal managers.”
The previous compulsory acquisition notices were handed over on March 7 and faced lapsing in the coming weeks. The Health Infrastructure spokeswoman said the issuing of new notices had “no material” impact on the acquisition process.
“Health Infrastructure has been working with all of the affected owners and residents since June 2017 and has made a genuine attempt to negotiate with all parties since that time,” she said. “Health Infrastructure will continue to make genuine attempts to reach agreement with all others prior to the date of compulsory acquisition.”
In May, Supreme Court Justice David Hammerschlag ruled the State Government’s land grab in Rozelle was invalid.
In his decision, which the government is now appealing, Justice Hammerschlag found the acquisition notice did not “state the public purpose for which the property is to be acquired”.
The 89 homes acquired in Randwick are expected to be demolished in October, as work on the hospital precinct begins.