Houses may be replaced with car parks for $400m Warrnambool hospital upgrade
Houses surrounding a Warrnambool hospital could be demolished to allow extra car parking space for the facility’s nearly $400m upgrade.
Warrnambool
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Two vacant homes could be demolished to allow for dozens of new car parks around a Warrnambool hospital.
The third planning application lodged for the Warrnambool Base Hospital upgrade seeks council approval to build and use 70 car parks near Hyland St and Redford St to provide additional staff parking.
In November last year, the first application was approved by Warrnambool City Council for the development of 30 car parks on the corner of Timor St and Ryot St.
A second application was approved in January for extra hospital staff parking on Hyland St at the Warrnambool showgrounds.
However, objections have been received from Redford St residents who do not want the vacant homes to be destroyed to make room for cars.
Meanwhile, a Warrnambool man, who asked not to be named, said the proposal for the parks and demolition should go ahead.
“Our by-product of us in today’s world is that we need car parking and I know car parking is an issue,” he said.
“When you’re talking about one of the main heartbeats of a town, build a bridge and get over it.
“There’s things in life where they should just do it.
The home at 8 Redford St, which sold for just over $1m in 2021, will not be demolished.
The two homes that are vacant — 6 and 14 Redford St, worth a total of $1.5m — are planned for demolishment if the proposal is approved by the council.
In addition to reducing on-street parking, the proposed development aims to improve the neighbourhood‘s “amenity” and “streetscape character” and would provide support to the nearby Warrnambool showgrounds during festive occasions.
The plans come after the announcement in January of the state government’s $384.2m redevelopment of Warrnambool Base Hospital, due for completion in 2026.
The hospital upgrade will include a new multi-storey hospital tower and larger emergency department, more operating rooms, 22 additional inpatient beds, and dedicated pathology and dialysis areas.
The third car park planning proposal will be discussed at the Warrnambool Council meeting in April.
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