Several challenges slow construction progress on Weststate Private Hospital
Construction is powering ahead on Townsville’s new private hospital but its opening date has been pushed back. Find out the new timeline.
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Inclement weather conditions and several other challenges have combined to push back the construction completion date for the $60.5m Weststate Private Hospital in West End.
Located on the corner of Sturt Street and Ingham Road, the short-stay hospital amalgamates six land parcels into a single two acre site, providing a five storey, purpose-built property, complete with four operating theatres, one procedure room, 19 day beds and 22 overnight beds.
Development partners Centuria Healthcare and Geon Property have confirmed that the project had nearly reached its “topped-out” stage – a significant construction milestone – and was due for practical completion by Christmas 2023.
While construction was progressing in accordance with its development schedule, Centuria Capital Head of Development Andre Bali has revealed some of the issues that had slowed the project from its intended May 2023 completion date.
“There’s been some pretty serious inclement weather over the duration of the project,” Mr Bali said.
“It’s a complex build in its nature being a hospital, but we also have the heritage (considerations) for the previous Townsville West State School, that we’re restoring.
“That’s probably part of the reason why we’re slightly behind.”
Trying to retrofit the iconic building was challenging, with some parts of the building unable to be touched, and other parts requiring caution in how it was restored.
Mr Bali said they were also dealing with pressures in the construction development industry, funding costs, escalation (in costs) of building materials, and the availability of tradespeople.
Despite the challenges, he said they were fully engaged and working collaboratively with Queensland-based construction company Woollam Constructions to deliver the “important project for Townsville”.
“It’s really addressing that underlying need of relieving the public healthcare system, addressing the growing ageing population, and the growing needs of the Townsville community,” he said.
“(It’s) also providing a brand new kind of model of care, which is the operator focused model of care, which is led by the surgeons.”
He said the model offered more focused health care and lower out of pocket expenses for patients.
“That model is something I think will increase more and more around Australia, and particularly regional Australia, as pressure on the public system just builds and builds,” he said.
“We’re totally committed to that strategy and we’re pretty excited to hopefully be opening this hospital towards the end of the year.”
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Originally published as Several challenges slow construction progress on Weststate Private Hospital