Plan for Wodonga $60 million hospital on former swimming pool land

The private four-storey medical hub is slated for the southern section of The Quarter development which extends from Elgin Boulevard to Stanley Street.

Criterion Property Group, which bought the land from Wodonga Council in 2019 for $3.55 million, has signed an agreement with a health sector operator for the project and a development application was lodged with the city on Tuesday.

The hospital will offer sub-acute services centred on rehabilitation, geriatric medicine, palliative care and mental health treatment for the aged.

Criterion founder and director John Mooney said it would be "a world-class facility where people can go for post-operative care".

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"The development will bring a state-of-the-art hospital facility to the centre of town at a time when the area is suffering from a healthcare services shortfall," Mr Mooney said.

"We believe it will deliver significant benefits to the local community in any number of different ways including creating up to 250 new jobs once fully operational."

Wodonga mayor Ron Mildren said it was heartening to see such investment in the wake of the city losing its private hospital and facing a downgrade for the public hospital.

"It's very good news and this will provide services for regions beyond Albury-Wodonga and have a lot of spin-off economic activities with 200-odd jobs," he said.

Mr Mooney said a previously approved five-storey residential building facing Elgin Boulevard was now expected to be constructed from September-October after it was originally slated to begin in spring 2021.

He said not quite half of the 28 apartments had sold but he expected the medical hub would lift demand.

It is hoped, subject to council approval, construction of the hospital will begin late this year or early 2024 and take 18 months.

Mr Mooney said the name of the health provider was confidential but was expected to be made public around September.

Criterion engaged property specialist LAWD last September to seek uses for the Stanley Street parcel which extends to Smythe Street and covers 7300 square metres.

A deal with the medical operator was signed in November with the company aiming to open similar hospitals across eastern states and South Australia.

"The hospital occupier was attracted to the Wodonga area due to the undersupply of quality healthcare services in the broader catchment, its central site position and a quicker planning pathway than what is currently available in NSW," LAWD director transactions and advisory Andrew Graham said.

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