A picture of the proposed $300 million privately funded hospital in Wānaka released by Roa last year. Photo: Supplied / Roa
A $300 million private surgical hospital has been approved as part of a health precinct for Wānaka.
Property developers Roa said Queenstown Lakes District Council had granted the project resource consent, using discretionary powers to bypass a public hearing.
Roa said all the submissions during an earlier public notification process had been supportive.
The company's consent application for the precinct at Three Parks east of Wānaka showed the five-level hospital would have operating theatres, in-patient and post-anaesthetic care beds, imaging services and two ambulance bays.
The precinct would also include four office buildings for allied medical services, including consultations and treatment, a helipad, multi-level car park with EV charging stations, bike storage and showers.
In a statement, Roa chief executive Mike Saegers described the project as a game changer for the region.
"Wānaka is already growing at a faster rate than Queenstown. We have an abundance of flat, developable land and none of the infrastructure challenges overwhelming Queenstown," he said.
"When you combine the unmet demand for regional healthcare services, and the space to masterplan an entire health precinct from the ground up, with the attractiveness of Wānaka as a place to live, work, and play in a post-Covid world, the opportunities are enormous. We're already attracting medical specialties and services to the precinct that locals currently have to travel hours to access."
Saegers said the hospital could potentially include public health services in future.
"Sufficient further development capacity is available to substantially expand the hospital, which could enable an integration of future public health services with the private surgical facilities. Roa is open to public health services being provided as part of the proposed health precinct, however any decisions about this are for Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora," he said.
Roa earlier said it intended to start construction within 15 months of getting consent, with a target opening date of 18-24 months' later.
Roa was developing the health precinct in partnership with Kā Rūnaka (Ngāi Tahu), to weave cultural values and history into the design of its communal spaces.
In a statement, Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki chair Matapura Ellison welcomed the news on behalf of Kā Rūnaka.
"The critical lack of health and social infrastructure is a significant and growing issue for the people of Wānaka and Central Otago," he said.
"This project is vital to meeting the future needs of this area's rapidly growing population, and we look forward to advancing the project, including the wider interests of mana whenua."
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