Wollongong Hospital Upgrade

I respectfully submit that the proposed changes to the Hospital campus have to proceed. There has long been a frustration with the size and capacity of the Wollongong Hospital to handle the ever growing health needs of the Illawarra. Even though part of the Elouera House is to be removed, it is entirely worth the construction for future generations of people in the Illawarra. There should be no further attention given to the Heritage requirements for this building. Many parts of this building are crumbling due to age anyway.

Increasing the capacity is essential for the Illawarra area, in order to maintain the good health of people in the Illawarra and to fix them when ill or requiring surgery.

The application provides a lot of detail on all aspects of the development.

As a nearby property owner, I fully support the applicant's submission and look forward to a new and improved heathcare facility in Wollongong.

Jane Flanagan
Contact Planner, Major Projects
Department of Planning
NSW

Dear Madam
Application MP10_0213 Wollongong Hospital

Neighbourhood Forum 5 is one of a number set up by Wollongong City Council to reflect the views of the community on matters of moment. At its meeting on 7th December the Forum considered this application and resolved to support the proposal subject to satisfactory arrangements being made to provide for at least the additional parking that the project will generate.

The Forum objects strongly to the suggestion that on-street parking can be used to the detriment of residents and the bland assumptions that all other users must provide off-street parking and hospital users are happy to walk 600 to 700 metres up-hill in the pouring rain. The current situation is untenable with the hospital only providing 746 on-site spaces for a demand of 1215 spaces, or nearly double. To add insult to injury it now proposes to increase the demand by 300 spaces without providing any more.

The introduction of programmes aimed at reducing parking is applauded. However, none of this quantified and it impossible to suppose that it will get anywhere near achieving the extra demand, still less the expected 750 space deficit. For example, whilst the provision of on-site bike parks is good, and a normal Council requirement, the hospital is at the top of a hill and the proposal relies on Council's Bike Plan which in itself is woefully inadequate with none of it operational anywhere near the hospital.

With respect, we suggest that there be conditions of consent requiring that:

1 off-street car parking of at least 300 spaces is provided; and
2 the effectiveness of measures to reduce parking demand is estimated and monitored.

Yours faithfully

David Winterbottom
Secretary

Support for the proposal but strong objection to the failure to provide parking.

See letter attached.