A hospital upgrade more than eight years in the planning is finally on the way for Queenstown.
Last week the Southern District Health Board (DHB) was granted non-notified consent, with conditions including aspects relating to heating and cooling, for its $6.5 million upgrade of Lakes District Hospital - first mooted in 2010.
DHB chief executive Chris Fleming said it was a ''priority for the district'' and expected construction to begin late next month.
''We are expecting ... most of the redeveloped areas including the Emergency Department and CT scanning facilities to be operational from around June 2019.
''We shouldn't underestimate the complexity of the work behind this, which has essentially meant designing a new state-of-the-art emergency trauma centre of international standards as a key piece of health services infrastructure on this site.
''Gaining resource consent is an important milestone that enables us to move forward on engaging a lead construction firm, and planning the next steps of the project, including firming up the timeframes.''
Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Jim Boult said he was ''delighted'' the project was proceeding. It did not, however, negate the need for a long-term solution, he said.
''I think that all parties agree that this is an interim step ... I know they [the DHB] have got a lot on their plate at the present time with the new Dunedin Hospital, and I feel for them in that regard, it's a massive undertaking.
''But, that said, they do need to be aware of the requirements of other parts of the district as well and in particular the fastest-growing part of their district, in fact, the fastest-growing part of New Zealand and they need to work with council and our community on what is the long-term solution for our district.''
Resource consent was finally lodged in March and last Thursday the DHB was given the green light to construct two extensions, of 294sqm and 168.4sqm.
The larger would form part of the existing emergency department wing and would hold nine beds - including the existing seven; two resuscitation bays; a reception; waiting area; triage and consultation areas; a medical students' training room; plaster bay; decontamination area; and an isolation room to treat patients who were possibly contagious.
The consent decision said the 168.4sq m wing would hold a ''District Nurses department'', with ''elements of hospital and healthcare service activities''.
A CT scanner and a clean utility room are also proposed in the new build, while a refurbishment of the existing hospital would include ''telehealth'' facilities and a dedicated paediatric and patient care room, including a whanau room.
While both new wings would be constructed to meet the proposed district plan's sound requirements, the ventilation system would not, because ''a low air flow setting is not appropriate for hospitals''.
Conditions of consent stipulated ''Critical Listening Environments'' within the extensions must have a ventilation and cooling system(s) designed, constructed and maintained to achieve certain standards, including a maximum temperature of 25degC and a minimum temperature of 18degC.
In January the Otago Daily Times reported staff were working in ''untenable'' conditions, working over capacity in a hospital with no air-conditioning, during the hottest summer on record in Wakatipu.
WorkSafe then assessed the hospital and three improvement notices were issued. All have since been lifted.
