A MAJOR upgrade of Lingard Private Hospital at Merewether has been rejected by the Joint Regional Planning Panel over concerns about its height and floor space.
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The hospital on Friday told the Newcastle Herald it will lodge a revised plan for the site after carefully considering December’s verdict from the panel’s December 2 meeting.
That verdict noted the panel’s support for the “use and overall suitability” of the 2613-square-metre site, but said those elements had to be separated from the specific form of the proposal.
If approved the plan would have become a three-storey facility including four operating theatres, 17 consultation rooms, medical gas storage and a 42-space car park.
It would also have modified an already-approved car park with 129 spaces.
“While we respect council’s decision, our growing population and demand for private health services make this a much needed addition to the medical precinct,” Lingard Private chief executive Warwick Crosby said.
“In just four years alone, the number of Newcastle residents with private health insurance has grown 6 per cent.”
“We look forward to ongoing discussions with Council, to refine our proposed plans as needed. We plan to submit a complying development application next month.”
Mr Crosby confirmed the proposed 129 car spaces would not be reduced in the new plans.
The panel found ground-level -parking would magnify the bulk and scale of the project at 6 and 8 Lingard Street, which would have stood across Merewether Street from the main existing hospital complex.
The panel found the ground-floor parking would have creating a less-than-ideal interface with the street itself.
“Submissions received in response to public notification of the development application have raised issues of a nature and extent that establish the proposed development will have unreasonable impacts in terms of character, height, bulk, scale and parking,” the panel’s reasons for refusal state.
“The development, as proposed, is considered to not be in the public interest.”
The JRPP decision was unanimous.
The panel said any future efforts to expand the hospital “should rationally involve a wider perspective of the area and precinct, so the coordinated growth of medical uses in the area and … could be considered holistically”.
The $13.1 million proposal was lodged in December last year.
Four submissions were made during its public exhibition period.
Newcastle City Council planners had also recommended refusal, contending the proposal was not in the public interest due to its height and floor space.