A new report has revealed what the community said about the Wollongong health precinct. Photo: Planning NSW.
Limited parking, a lack of open spaces and safety concerns in the streets surrounding Wollongong Hospital have been identified as priority areas by the Illawarra community as the State Government takes the next steps to form a strategy to revitalise the health precinct.
A new engagement report has detailed the feedback received during the consultation process earlier this year and although this information will help inform the development of a draft strategy, some of the biggest concerns are not set to be included.
Parking and transportation were pitched as major challenges for the precinct, with suggestions including more park and rides within the area to reduce parking demand or underground parking options.
In response to this feedback, the department recognised parking and transportation as a “multilayered” and “common” issue for health precincts.
The report states that “possible improvements to the existing public transport network will be considered as part of the development of the strategy in consultation with key stakeholders including Transport for NSW, Wollongong City Council and relevant service providers”.
Although the “next stage of planning will consider the need for car parking to support the operations of the different services we are planning for”, the health precinct strategy will not address a large part of the issue, stating “car parking to support the public hospital will be planned for during hospital master planning, which is a separate process”.
A spokesperson for NSW Health Infrastructure said the “NSW Government is investing $21.9 million to enhance health services and infrastructure at Wollongong Hospital”.
“This includes funding for planning of Wollongong Hospital’s future expansion, which will form part of the Wollongong Health Precinct Strategy.
“Early planning is expected to be completed early next year and further updates will be provided to the community in the coming months.”
“As the demand for health services grows in the Illawarra, we recognise Wollongong Hospital needs to meet that increased pressure,” NSW Health Minister and Member for Keira Ryan Park said.
Transport issues weren’t limited to carparks, poor walking and cycling infrastructure, difficult walking distances between destinations, challenging topography and poor access for people with low mobility.
Safety on the surrounding streets was also flagged, particularly areas such as Wollongong Train Station and Piccadilly Centre.
The community also wanted to see public drinking fountains, more trees and open spaces and more public amenities included, with the inclusion of things like internal courtyards or a rooftop garden.
Responses also identified opportunities for addressing housing challenges, including adjustment to local environment planning instruments to allow greater building height and density and encouragement of high-density and apartment-style developments.
Housing issues also included a focus on accommodation for patients, patient families and workers.
“As Wollongong continues to grow and change, it continues to attract world-class public and private investment to the area,” NSW Planning Minister and Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said.
“This new opportunity will see investment in Wollongong’s housing supply and choice, creation of new jobs and improved public spaces, infrastructure and services.
“Wollongong’s emerging health precinct will play a vital role in contributing to this growth.”
The original discussion paper was released to the public from 15 December 2023 to 16 February 2024. It included eight community consultation sessions, targeted workshops, and a social media campaign that reached more than 56,000 people.
The department will now work with stakeholders to inform the development of the strategy including how to encourage the right mix of land uses that complement health services and revising the precinct boundary.
“The engagement outcomes report is a key piece of information, along with the hospital masterplan, Wollongong Station masterplan and council’s local housing plans, in the development of the Wollongong health precinct,” Minister Scully said.
“As the largest hospital in the area, Wollongong provides a comprehensive range of services for the community, and this process enables our government to shape the future of this important healthcare precinct,” Minister Park said.
“I am delighted to see the interest the community is taking in this hospital. Valuable feedback provided for this report about Wollongong Hospital will go a long way to ensuring it continues to meet the healthcare needs of the Illawarra for decades to come.”
The draft strategy is anticipated to be available for community feedback early next year.
For more information or to stay updated on upcoming consultation, visit the NSW Planning website.
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