Southern Partnership Group chairman Pete Hodgson said a temporary programme manager had been employed this week, and permanent appointments would be made in the next few weeks or months.
That would ''lift the pace'' of the project.
In May, it was announced the new hospital would be built on two blocks of land between Cumberland and Castle Sts, just south of the present hospital building.
The Government bought the Cadbury building on one of the blocks in late May.
Mr Hodgson said yesterday the master site planning process was beginning.
The process would develop a preferred option on the number of buildings the new hospital complex would have, how they would be joined, and where they were likely to be situated on the site.
It will also consider changes in traffic flows and pedestrian traffic.
''We need to start understanding how the new hospital complex will relate to the central city and to the university and polytech.''
That would include the future of Dunedin's health-education sector.
The master site plan would also consider issues such as shadowing, vibration and other neighbourhood effects.
Mr Hodgson said the initial master site planning phase was likely to be completed in late October.
Health planners and architects, mostly from Wellington and Brisbane, were working on the document.
They would also use, for instance, the likes of hydrology expertise the Otago Regional Council had to check on issues like flooding, or traffic engineers to help with traffic modelling.
Asked if the document would be made public, Mr Hodgson said ''I can't think why it wouldn't'', at this stage.
He said the first of two phases of a detailed business case for the hospital was nearing completion.
Three of five chapters were signed off at a Southern Partnership Group meeting this week, and the remaining two would be completed within a month.
The second phase was due for completion in about March next year.
Mr Hodgson said the project remained on schedule.
''My instinct is there is no particular reason to say it's in trouble in any way.''
