The plan, which sets out what services will be provided in which buildings at what cost in the $1.2billion-$1.4billion development, has several steps to go through before it actually makes it to Cabinet — likely happen in early August.
However, if the plan had not been finalised on Tuesday by the hospital governance body, the Southern Partnership Group, it could have been months before the project was able to proceed.
"This step was a significant one and was some years in the taking," group chairman Pete Hodgson said.
"It now goes into a consultation process within the bureaucracy before going to coalition partners, then to a Cabinet committee and then to Cabinet, which is why it will take until the 3rd or 10th of August."
The detailed business case is the latest and largest so far of several business cases which the new hospital project has been obliged to file, due to its cost and complexity.
Assuming it ultimately receives Cabinet approval, an implementation business case will then need to be prepared, setting out how the hospital will be built.
"That will be next year some time, and there will probably be other special business cases," Mr Hodgson said.
"But this one we have just signed off ... is bigger than all the rest put together.
"We have been at it a long time and we have examined it very closely indeed, so it is in pretty good shape."
The detailed business case was meant to be sent for Cabinet consideration some months ago.
However, a combination of delays caused by Covid-19 and issues raised by clinicians anxious about the size of the hospital and what services would be provided, caused several impediments before final approval was agreed on Tuesday.
