$300 million Wānaka Hospital and health precinct proposed

Wednesday, 8 May 2024

An artist’s impression of a proposed $300 million privately funded hospital in Wānaka.

A $300 million hospital is at the heart of a proposed privately-funded Wānaka health precinct.

Wānaka property investment company Roa has proposed the five-level hospital, with four operating theatres, imaging services, a 24-hour emergency department and more than 70 inpatient, emergency, and post-anaesthetic care beds.

The hospital sits at the centre of a broader health precinct plan, which includes four purpose-built office buildings for allied medical services such as consulting and treatment rooms.

The plans feature a large on-site parking building and ground level retail and hospitality spaces.

Roa chief executive Mike Saegers said the company had applied for the project to be named in Schedule 2 of the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill.

A proposed health precinct in Wānaka will include a $300 million hospital, alongside four new purpose-built offices, a parking building, retail and hospitality spaces.

However, it had also initiated a resource consent application process with the Queenstown Lakes District Council, which could take three years.

Doctors have been on strike after proposals by Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand to cut pay.

Receiving fast track approval could reduce the consenting time.

“Construction of the hospital could commence within 15 months of consent being received, with a target opening date of 18-24 months after that,” he said.

“Delay in consenting translates directly through to delay in the doors opening on this much-needed, beneficial community health asset.”

The lack of health services had long been a public concern in the fast-growing Wānaka, Upper Clutha and Central Otago regions.

About 400 people attended a recent public meeting on the subject in Wānaka.

Saegers said the company intended to engage a high-quality private healthcare operator to manage the hospital.

There was already strong interest from established operators in New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

A lack of healthcare services has long been a concern in the growing Central Otago town of Wānaka.

Specialist medical tenants based outside of the region had expressed interest in moving into the commercial office space, he said.

It would be located on Sir Tim Wallis Drive at Three Parks, east of the Wānaka township.