Liverpool Hospital to receive $740 million transformation

The New South Wales government has committed $740 million to transform Liverpool Hospital into the largest stand-alone facility in Australia by 2026.

The Liverpool Health and Academic Precinct will include a new comprehensive and integrated cancer centre and additional inpatient and ambulatory care capacity.

Sydney firm Fitzpatrick and Partners has been appointed as the masterplanning architect for the precinct.

Redevelopment works will also increase the capacity of Liverpool Hospital’s existing emergency department, neonatal intensive care, maternity and critical care, as well as day surgery and radiology.

The funding for the project makes up part of the $2.2 billion in capital spending for health allocated in the 2018-19 budget, with $8 billion earmarked for infrastructure upgrades and new facilities over the next four years.

NSW treasurer Dominic Perrottet noted in his budget speech that $5.7 billion would go to hospital developments in the “booming western suburbs of Sydney” including for projects in Campbelltown, Nepean, Blacktown and Mount Druitt.

Liverpool mayor Wendy Waller welcomed the state government’s commitment.

“Liverpool is being transformed – literally, every week, you can see the changes,” she said. “Days ago Western Sydney University opened its wonderful new campus – only 500 metres from the hospital.”

Dubbed the Ngara Ngara building, Western Sydney University’s new campus was designed by local Liverpool practice Mosca Pserras Architects with interiors by Woods Bagot.

The funding announcement for the hospital follows a Price Waterhouse Cooper report – commissioned by the Liverpool City Council, the Liverpool Hospital, three major universities and a number of other private and government bodies – released in 2017.

Titled Reimagining… the Liverpool Health, Education, Research and Innovation Precinct, the report sets out a vision for an innovation precinct that would better integrate the hospital with the University of Wollongong, Western Sydney University, the University of NSW and TAFE NSW, along with the Sydney Southwest Private Hospital and the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research.

“An upgraded Liverpool Hospital will be the anchor for the Liverpool Innovation Precinct – a teaming up of major health and educational institutions with business groups and Liverpool City Council,” said Waller.

Thought to have started life as a tent hospital in the 1790s, Liverpool Hospital is one of the oldest in Australia, with a brick building established in 1813.

Source: ArchitectureAU