Urban Digest

A $128 million proposal to expand Wollongong Private Hospital has been refused. The State Significant Development application covered the existing hospital and adjoining land at 360, 366 and 368 Crown Street and 15–23 Urunga Parade, Wollongong.

The proposal sought to expand the hospital with new hospital facilities, medical tenancies, a medi-hotel and additional basement parking. The Department’s assessment describes a proposed building height of 51.2 metres, or 13 storeys, together with six basement levels and 278 additional car parking spaces.

The application nominated 20,981 sqm of additional gross floor area and a total GFA of 39,059 sqm across the expanded hospital site. The Department noted in its assessment that the applicant’s GFA calculations appeared to be inaccurate.

Other works included demolition of buildings at 15–23 Urunga Parade, alterations to the existing hospital, landscaping, public domain works and lot consolidation. The dwellings at 366 and 368 Crown Street were proposed to be retained for medical uses. The Department’s report identified an estimated development cost of $127.96 million, 149 construction jobs and up to 320 additional operational jobs.

In recommending refusal, the Department identified a number of issues with the proposal, including its potential obstruction of Wollongong Hospital’s emergency helicopter flight path, proposed variations to height and floor space ratio controls, bulk and scale, design excellence, heritage and transport impacts. The Department also found there was insufficient information to assess a number of matters after the applicant advised it would not provide a response to submissions or further information requested during assessment.

The application proposed a 60 per cent variation to the 32-metre height control and a 38.5 per cent variation to the applicable floor space ratio standard. The Department concluded the project in its submitted form was not in the public interest.
The application received 11 public submissions during exhibition, comprising eight objections, two submissions in support and one comment. The refusal was determined on 18 August 2026.

For more information, search SSD-84096206 on the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s Major Projects website.