Wollongong Hospital upgrades are part of a long-term plan for the health precinct. Photo: Planning NSW.
A housing boom is set to accommodate health facility expansions and innovative employment in and around Wollongong’s hospitals, with a state-led rezoning kicking off a 25-year strategy to future proof the vital community precinct.
A vision for the future of Wollongong’s ‘hospital hill’ has been created to guide the long-term direction and investment in the region as the population grows alongside the need for accessible health services to meet climbing demand.
“The Wollongong Health Precinct will play a pivotal role in the future growth of the Illawarra Shoalhaven region, helping to ensure the Illawarra Shoalhaven has access to world-class healthcare,” Health Minister and Keira MP Ryan Park said.
“With thousands of new jobs and homes, the precinct will be a thriving hub of opportunity, right in the heart of Wollongong.”
The Wollongong Health Precinct Strategy outlines a plan for the next 25 years to be realised through the five ambitious ‘big moves’ of having a research and education hub helping to shape a sustainable and innovative health system; a connected and active city west; an accessible and inclusive transport network helping us to move with choice; improved services to support an interconnected and innovative workforce; and a connected, green and vibrant public domain anchored by a network of welcoming communal meeting places.
The plan separates the precinct into three sub-precinct areas of core health, innovation and learning, and city west, each with specific opportunities, challenges and priorities.
For the core health area, which is bound by Sperry and Hercules streets in the north, Matthews Street in the west, Staff Street in the south, and Osborne and Darling streets in the east, the immediate priorities in the next 10 years are completing the business case to confirm how and when infrastructure is developed, then starting the initial upgrade to Wollongong Public Hospital on existing assets.
Longer term plans include growing health-related jobs by 3000 new roles, starting broader Wollongong Public Hospital upgrades, growing private health services and establishing a greater university presence.
A new central street-level open space along Crown Street delivered in conjunction with new development underneath that utilises the slope of the land and reconfiguring road networks is earmarked, but not for more than two decades.
The strategy outlines a structure plan across the precinct. Image: Planning NSW.
The innovation and learning sub-precinct is between Rawlinson and Rowland avenues in the south, Allan Street in the west, Osborne Street in the north and the South Coast Rail Line (and Gladstone Avenue) in the east.
The initial priorities for this area include updating the planning framework to give incentives to increase the presence of community organisations, health related charities and allied health uses in the precinct as well as appropriate and complimentary transitional land uses in areas adjoining the precinct.
Tasks within the next decade also include completing strategy business case work for infrastructure delivery and starting upgrades of TAFE’s Wollongong West Campus.
An accessible research institute is to be established within the next 20 years and a greater university presence as well as a public open space.
The first steps for the city west sub-precinct, which is bound by Robinson and Hercules streets in the north, Darling Street to the west, Osborne Street to the south and the South Coast Rail Line in the east, is to update planning framework to provide for a mix of mixed tenure, affordable and market housing, with a rezoning of the land already on the agenda.
“The Minns Government is planning for the future of Wollongong from every angle, matching housing growth with investments in infrastructure and initiatives that will drive industry expansion,” Planning Minister and Wollongong MP Paul Scully said.
“The finalisation of the Wollongong Health Precinct Strategy has laid important groundwork to kick off a rezoning which will unlock 1000 homes and 10,000 jobs.
“This work adds to the state-assessed rezonings already underway in the region to support more homes and jobs alongside key infrastructure investments to support current and future residents.”
This sub-precinct will also see enhancements to community health services, with road network reconfiguration, over rail development and the redevelopment of Wollongong Station’s multi-storey commuter carpark also pitched for later down the line.
The detailed plan was established and influenced based on community feedback submitted last year, which included hundreds of comments, contributions and engagements.
But while many actions have already been identified, the timing for many items is yet to be determined.
The Wollongong Health Precinct rezoning proposal is expected to be exhibited for public feedback later this year.
To find out more, the full strategy and further details are available on the NSW Planning website.
