New $96 million Melbourne cancer hospital to be built on St Kilda Rd

A futuristic cancer hospital with a helipad and gardens is set to be built on St Kilda Rd to help fight one of Australia’s deadliest diseases.

The new Victorian Melanoma and Clinical Trials Centre is set to be built on St Kilda Rd.

Melbourne will become home to a new world-class new cancer centre under a $93.8 million plan being considered by the city council.

A futuristic six-storey hospital with two basement levels, a helipad, gardens and communal spaces has been proposed for St Kilda Rd, in an expansion of the Alfred Health precinct.

The landmark new building would house the Victorian Melanoma and Clinical Trials Centre – a state-of-the-art facility for “high-end research’’ and treatment.

Plans for the 31.2m-high building include overnight, same-day and outpatient care, education spaces, medical offices, laboratories, therapy rooms.

What the $93.8 million building will look like.

Research and treatment will be carried outside.

Patients will access lifesaving clinical trials and specialist treatment at the facility, which has attracted federal and state government funding.

A planning permit application said the building “can be seen as an icon, representing a global centre of excellence in research in melanoma and other cancers and one that will attract and retain the best researchers in the world”.

A three-storey apartment block would be demolished to make way for the new building at 545 St Kilda Rd, west of the main Alfred Campus and diagonally opposite Albert Reserve and Fawkner Park.

The “world-class architectural built form’’ would house 240 staff and have direct access to the existing Alfred precinct, planning documents lodged with the City of Melbourne reveal.

The external “frit design’’ is based on layers of human skin “and provides an iconic ‘veil’ to the building that allows filtering of light through the predominantly glazed facade.’’

Deputy lord mayor Nicholas Reece said the development would further entrench Melbourne as “Australia’s medical research capital’’ and be carefully considered by councillors.

“It’s exciting to see Melbourne continues to attract investment in research facilities keen to tackle one of the most commonly diagnosed major illnesses in the country,’’ he said.

Hundreds of people would work at the centre.

The centre includes a “wellness garden”.

“Cancer affects tens of thousands of people every year and is the leading cause of death in Australia.

“While this new development is exciting it must still respect the area’s heritage while displaying excellent design, architecture and public amenity.”

The plans include “a spacious and inviting’’ landscaped forecourt on St Kilda Rd and a “wellness garden’’.

If approved, construction of the building is expected to start next year, be completed by late 2023 and operational by early 2024.

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