A new hospital and health care complex at Remarkables Park, Frankton, could be operational within two to three years, Southern Cross Hospital chief executive Terry Moore said yesterday after a resource consent application was lodged.
The announcement of the hospital, a joint initiative between Southern Cross Hospitals, Skin Institute Queenstown - formerly Clinic QT - the Queenstown Medical Centre and landowner Remarkables Park Ltd, was made last year as part of a wider initiative to establish a group of integrated health and community care facilities in the Remarkables Park Zone.
Southern Cross Hospitals, New Zealand's largest network of private and surgical hospitals, was established in 1979 as a not-for-profit hospital group.
Mr Moore said he hoped the Queenstown Lakes District Council would look on the application favourably.
"If so, we can proceed on plans to secure the land and engage further with interested medical professionals.
"If everything pans out, this will be a great facility for Queenstown . . . if successful, we would hope to be operational in the area in about two to three years."
The resource consent application says the design of the building takes into account the need to balance its function as a hospital and medical centre, its visual aesthetics within the wider Remarkables Park Zone and its proximity to the "unique" backdrop of the Remarkables range.
"An important component of the design was to locate the more public elements of the building . . . towards the western side of the building, which will adjoin future commercial development.
"Conversely, the proposed hospital warrants a less public and more secluded environment and it is therefore located towards the east of the building, closest to and complimentary to the anticipated development of a retirement village.
Remarkables Park Ltd director Alastair Porter said the project would have huge benefits for the wider Queenstown and regional community.
"We'll be looking at a significant strengthening in health assets servicing the Queenstown Lakes District community and others who will use this facility.
"It's the potential catalyst for a clustering of further health services and facilities in this location, including aged care, retirement care, child care and medical education."
If the application proceeded as planned, the hospital and healthcare facility would be built east of the existing shopping centre on the future eastern access road that would complete the link between Remarkables Park and SH6 around the eastern end of Queenstown Airport.
The site was zoned for hospitals as a "controlled use", so the processing of the application should be "relatively straight forward", Mr Porter said.
Queenstown Medical Centre director Dr Hans Raetz said having Southern Cross apply with the medical centre for a resource consent was "a good step forward".
He said he had been trying to attract a hospital provider to Queenstown since 2002 and had looked at several potential locations, but Remarkables Park was the only option that made sense.
"It's an ideal site in that it would enable us to relocate the Remarkables Park Medical Centre alongside the hospital, offering a range of complimentary services, such as laboratory, radiology, pharmacy and physiotherapy."
Growth at his appearance medicine service, Skin Institute Queenstown, had been "phenomenal", he said.
"The new clinic will enable us to plan for future growth and, despite the current financial situation, we feel confident now is the right time to move ahead with these projects."
HOSPITAL PROPOSAL
Ground floor
Northern side: Main entrance; public toilets; waiting area; cafe; rear ambulance entry.
Eastern side: Day surgery unit; two operating theatres; recovery areas.
An X-ray area and emergency department will be on the ground floor.
First floor
Western side: Consultant rooms; reception; administration area and waiting area.
Eastern side: Hospital containing 10 private hospital bedrooms.
Second floor
Dual apartments for patient accommodation and visiting medical consultants.
Gross floor area: 5245sq m
The hospital will be built in two stages, the first comprising the Queenstown Medical Centre and Skin Institute Queenstown,along with the shell of 10 private hospital bedrooms.
Stage two will include the completion of the hospital rooms, two more operating theatres on the ground floor and a staff area.
Maximum height: 12m.
Car parks: 121.
