SWAN Hill District Health is at full capacity having almost outgrown its Splatt
Street grounds.
With land earmarked for a new Residential Aged Care facility
and rehabilitation centre, these two new developments at the hospital site will
leave little land availability for future expansion.
Swan Hill District
Health acting chief executive officer Rod Prockter said the hospital was
somewhat limited when it came to planning for the future.
“The only vacant
property that is available is on the corner of McCallum and High Street which is
earmarked for the new residential aged care building,” Mr Prockter said.
“In
recent times Swan Hill District Health has acquired property on High Street to
house our community nursing and dental services due to no space being available
on our main site.
“Likewise a new education centre has just been completed in
McCrae Street.”
The situation was brought to light at Swan Hill Rural City
Council’s most recent meeting with council approving the rezoning of three
parcels of land utilised by the health facility.
The land included two
allotments in High Street and an allotment in McCrae Street which saw the land
rezoned from Residential 1 to Public Use.
At present the buildings on each
block are used to carry out a range of hospital related services including a
community palliative care service, district nursing service and transitional
care program.
“The proposed amendment will appropriately reflect the current
ownership and use of the land by Swan Hill District Health,” a council report
stated.
The buildings will be used to facilitate a Clinical Training Centre
and the newly relocated auxiliary opportunity shop.
“The amendment will also
allow Swan Hill District Health to continue to provide valuable services to Swan
Hill and surrounding communities, especially to the aging population as well as
socially and economically disadvantaged people of the region,” the report
continued.
Yet with little room to move in terms of future development
opportunities, deputy mayor Greg Cruickshank suggested council examine the
possibility of a joint planning study into the hospital precinct.
Cr
Cruickshank said any study of this nature would explore future development
opportunities, providing some confidence in statutory planning requirements and
land rezoning.
Mr Prockter said a study of this kind would be welcomed by the
hospital, noting it would provide “greater certainty in planning for future
service development.”
However, any study at this stage is just a thought,
with no council funds allocated to pursuing the matter in the foreseeable
future.
In the meantime, Mr Prockter said Swan Hill District Health would
continue to consider the acquisition of nearby property as it becomes
available.
He said any land acquired under this strategy would be used for
“possible service expansion, or to assist with staff accommodation needs.”
