COMMUNITY CONCERNS WITH FINAL HOSPITAL PLANS

Local Member of Bathurst Paul Toole has expressed his disappointment over the failure of NSW Health to include any substantial additional car parking in the final plans for the long-awaited $200 million redevelopment of Bathurst Hospital released today. Despite repeated calls from the community for more parking spaces, the redevelopment plans have failed to address the critical issue of car parking shortages.

With even more doctors, nurses, visitors and patients expected to visit the newly developed hospital and only a few additional car spaces added there will not be anywhere near enough for the growing population.

One year to the day of the Bathurst Hospital carparking petition being launched, the final designs have revealed a mere 46 on-site and 25 on-street car parking spaces being included in the redevelopment. The architectural drawings show Mitre Street parking changing from 45-degree to 90-degree parking and Howick Street from parallel to 60-degree parking. However the irony is, no formal proposal to reline the surrounding streets has been received by Bathurst Regional Council making the validity of the 25 on-street car parking spaces questionable and hypothetical.

Thankfully, through the petition and community outcry over the loss of a carpark to a garden area has been revoked and the 42 on-site car parking spaces have been saved.  

The good news is a new two-storey expansion to the Emergency Department and Operating Theatres as well as a new single-storey addition to Daffodil Cottage have all been confirmed as part of the redevelopment. Enhanced clinical services will include expanded maternity, mental health and rehabilitation. Construction is expected to begin mid this year and be completed in 2027. The tendering process for construction companies is already underway.

Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said this redevelopment is a significant project of the Bathurst region and its growing population who will all need access to health care at some point in their lives. This redevelopment will provide the right services and accessibility to cater for locals for generations to come.

“Our community has been crying out for more car parking at Bathurst Hospital, yet this redevelopment does very little to solve the problem. It is absolutely outrageous that the voices of local residents, staff and patients have been ignored,” Mr Toole said.

“This is not a matter of convenience—it’s a matter of access to healthcare. Locals have expressed frustration with the lack of parking options at the hospital that has led to missed appointments and difficulty access the hospital.

“This is a severe oversight in the future planning of this vital service which already has a parking demand of over 702 spaces and only 352 to be included on site after the redevelopment.”

Additionally in November 2024, planning reforms were amended under the cloak of darkness which saw the NSW Labor Government remove any requirements for NSW Health Infrastructure to submit a development application to local councils and instead can self-assess their own projects.  

It is understood that community consultation will run next month with opportunities for feedback at drop-in sessions as well as online via the Health Infrastructure website. Mr Toole is encouraging locals to attend one of following community information sessions and provide feedback:

•      Wednesday 12 March 2025, 12.00pm-2.00pm Bathurst Hospital main foyer

•      Thursday 13 March 2025, 4.00pm-6.00pm Bathurst Armada Shopping Centre

•      Friday 14 March 2025, 8.30am-10.30am The Church Café, Eglington

To share feedback online, head to www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/bathurst-hospital-redevelopment 

For more information on project, head to www.bathurstredevelopment.health.nsw.gov.au/