Bendigo Hospital Precinct

HillPDA was commissioned to undertake a Social, Economic and Land Use Impact and Opportunity Assessment for the Bendigo Hospital Precinct.

HillPDA’s role was to identify the existing role and function of the hospital precinct and any economic and land use conditions and policies affecting it. As an outcome the Study would identify the preferred future uses of the precinct to facilitate positive growth.

Key findings of the Assessment included:

• Despite a challenging commercial office market, the redevelopment of the Hospital is likely to create additional demand for medical office suites and space for allied services, despite some of this accommodation being provided as part of the redeveloped Hospital.
• The redeveloped Hospital will be catering to a broad regional catchment that extends as far north as southern NSW. There is likely to be a component of longer-stay accommodation demand around the Hospital Precinct from families of patients in care.
• Growth in the Hospital’s operational workforce along with construction workers, visitors to the Hospital and university students in the local area will significantly increase the demand for short and long-stay accommodation in areas close to the Hospital.
• Given that there are few vacant residential sites within the Study Area, new residents will need to be accommodated through increased densities and infill development.
• Additional retail goods and services should not comprise more than 3,000sqm of floorspace in the area around the Hospital. This quantum of floorspace is commensurate with other Local Centres in the hierarchy and will not diminish the role of the Bendigo CBD.

*www.newbendigohospital.org.au 31.05.2013