Benchmark Commercial’s Nigel Staniforth said interest in the Bloomfield Medical Centre had exceeded expectations, with ground floor tenancies to be finalised within weeks.

The ground floor of the hospital will include a cafe, medical imaging and a pharmacy. 

The news came as developer James Richmark Pty Ltd and Zauner Group announced they had received final approval from the NSW Department of Planning to proceed with the hospital and 82-room medi-motel – construction is expected to start by March.

Mr Staniforth said the first floor at Bloomfield would be home to allied health services with a GP medical centre on the second floor.

The 104-bed private hospital will take up two floors, with specialists to take the top floor. 

“That’s how the [Gardens Medical] centre was done in Albury and it worked really well,” he said. 

Work on the six-storey tower is expected to start early next year.

About 200 parking spaces will be provided for the first stage, growing to 800 once the site is fully developed.

Forest Road will be widened to four lanes with traffic lights added in the next 18 months and Zauner Group chief executive Garry Zauner said it showed the intent to unify the private hospital and Orange Health Service across the road.

“If you’ve got a sick child or you’re getting medical attention in any one of the many health facilities we’ll have on site, you’ll only have to park once so the impact is a lot less,” he said. 

He said building codes dictated the need for two lifts, but the building would have four. 

“The lesson learned at Albury is that we had one ambulatory lift [but] every lift in this facility will be ambulatory so fully-stretchered patients and people who are medically incapable of normal operation are able to use any lift,” he said. 

Mayor Reg Kidd hoped funding would be forthcoming from the state government so the council could complete further sections of the southern feeder road at the same time.

“This is a bit of leverage we can use with the government,” he said. 

Prospective tenants should contact Benchmark Commercial on 6362 5988 or James Richmark’s Patrick O'Halloran at poh@iinet.net.au.