Tweed Hospital: Kings Forest one of three new sites to be investigated this week

EXPERTS will start investigating three alternate sites for the $534 million Tweed Valley Hospital after community kicks up a stink about proposed Cudgen site.

Map of sites proposed for Tweed hospital site at Cudgen.

INVESTIGATIONS into three alternative sites for the proposed $534 million Tweed Valley Hospital will start this week.

Speaking at the Tweed Daily News Hospital Community Meeting Monday night, Tweed Valley Hospital Project Manager Peter Lawless said of 25 proposed alternative sites three have been short-listed.

Relocate team organiser Hayley Paddon (front left) wants the $534 million Tweed Valley Hospital to be built at Kings Forest. Photo by Richard Gosling

They are the Kings Forest Site, which is a 11,000 person housing development west of Casuarina, a Chinderah site and another along the Tweed Coast Road.

“Investigation work on those sites will start this week,” he said.

“We are executing permit documentation with the property owners now and expect reports to come back in two weeks.”

The Tweed community has been at loggerheads over the proposed Cudgen site with many locals wanting it built elsewhere.

TWEED COUNCIL ONLY INCLUDED LOCALS NOT IN FAVOUR OF CUDGEN SITE

A large crowd turned out for the special meeting regarding the future of the Tweed Hospital. Photo: Campbell Gellie

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After announcing the site in August the New South Wales Government has met opposition from neighbouring sweet potato farmers and Kingscliff residents.

New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard opened a six week public consultation period, taking suggestions for alternative site which closed last Thursday.

Proposed sites of the new Tweed Hospital.

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Mr Lawless said over those six weeks there were about 180 submissions, 44 per cent against the Cudgen site, 32 per cent for it and 24 per cent neutral.