Environment Minister David Parker has authorised an independent panel to consider the resource consent for the hospital through an accelerated process set up last year under Covid-19 recovery legislation and intended to avoid months of hearings and potential challenges.
The detailed business case for the new Dunedin Hospital has still not been approved by Cabinet, more than a year after the document should have been considered.
Approval for the $1.4billion-plus project to be considered for fast-tracked consent without the detailed business case being approved suggests the final shape and scale of the hospital complex have been finalised, even if the internal layout of the building has not.
Yesterday’s approval means that rather than the project winding its way through the Dunedin City Council consenting process, the panel will make the consent decision after hearing from the DCC, Otago Regional Council, iwi, NZ Transport Agency, specific industry and advocacy groups and adjoining landowners.
Mr Parker hoped the panel would make its decision before the end of the year, and said if approved, fast-tracking would shorten the standard consent process by about two years.
“This project ticks all the boxes for the fast-track process," he said.
"It will bring forward jobs, assists in the transition to a low-emissions economy and increases the social and health resilience of the region.
“The existing hospital is in a state of disrepair and I know this is impacting health services to the community.”
The largest construction project in Dunedin in recent years, Forsyth Barr Stadium, required a district plan change hearing before being approved.
The city council brought in independent commissioners to consider 108 submissions, a process which took many months, required public hearings, and faced legal challenges filed in its aftermath.
The largest hospital project in New Zealand in recent years, the rebuild of Christchurch Hospital, avoided the resource consent process through a required plan change being authorised under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act.
Work began on that project the year it was announced, 2014, and new Dunedin Hospital planners will be hoping to achieve something similar.
"The hospital complex has been designed with a climate-resilient, low-emissions future in mind and it will use high-efficiency heat pumps, replacing the coal-fired boilers in use at the existing hospital," Mr Parker said.
"The design also includes on-site stormwater treatment facilities and rain gardens," Mr Parker said.
The independent panel is authorised to consider a range of issues, which include urban design, transport, flood hazard and construction noise.
The panel also had to ensure environmental safeguards and Treaty of Waitangi and Treaty settlement obligations were met.
If the panel chose to reject the hospital project consent application, that could be appealed, but the Ministry of Health could still apply to the DCC for a regular resource consent.
Parliament’s health select committee was told earlier this year that the detailed business case for the new hospital could be placed on the Cabinet agenda in April.
However, Budget day is May 20, and unless the business case needed to be approved for its cost to be included in that document, the process to get it signed off could take even longer.
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Comments
"The panel also had to ensure Treaty of Waitangi and Treaty settlement obligations were met."
What on EARTH does a simple hospital rebuild have to do with the Treaty of Waitangi??!!
Where have you been? Everything...
It has escaped you but the Tangata Whenua(people of the land) Nga Tahu and the Tau iwi have a responsibility of guardianship together.
Just accept it.
We have a health system that treats EVERYONE the same, regardless of race.
Having to pander to multiple different groups only makes the job of rebuilding that more difficult....Why would the treaty of Waitangi need to be involved in the construction of a hospital that has ONE task...To care for the sick and injured.
And I will never accept a treaty that seeks to separate New Zealander's...Just accept that!