The proposed site of Australia’s largest hospital project is no longer feasible, the 2024-25 Victorian budget has revealed.
The proposal to relocate the Royal Melbourne and Royal Women’s hospitals into one consolidated medical precinct in Arden was announced in 2022, with the masterplan designed by Hassell and McBride Charles Ryan. At the time it was touted as the biggest hospital project in Australia’s history. The project would have delivered more than 1,800 beds and treatment spaces.
However, following feasibility and technical investigations on the site, it was revealed that the proposed location is subject to electromagnetic interferences from the nearby Metro Tunnel project, currently under construction.
In response, the Victorian government said it “has been advised that locating the full scope of the redevelopment at the Parkville site represents a better investment for Victorians” and that it would instead “focus on the redevelopment of the Parkville site” where the existing Royal Melbourne and Royal Women’s hospitals are located.
The proposed site of Australia’s largest hospital project is no longer feasible due to electromagnetic interferences.
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Hassell and McBride Charles Ryan
This would enable the Arden site to instead be developed for much-needed housing, particularly for health care workers, as well as affordable housing or build-to-rent initiatives.
“[…] the work required to mitigate electromagnetic interference for the hospital’s sensitive medical instruments would be significant – resulting in significant delays and costing significantly more,” the communique states.
In the initial proposal, it was anticipated that the project would take place across a period of 12 years, with construction to commence in 2025. Now, the budget has announced, “the completed project will deliver the same first-class care for patients – but sooner and with less disruption.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
