Presbyterian Aged Care NSW & ACT (PAC) today announced that the Environmental Assessment (EA) for its proposed Seniors Living and Aged Care project at Paddington’s Scottish Hospital site has been lodged with the Department of Planning and placed on public exhibition.

The EA -which supports the Major Project Application -is on exhibition as from today and available for public review up until 17^th December.

Continuing its intensive community consultation program, the not-for-profit PAC will hold additional community briefings to ensure its proposal for the Scottish Hospital site is understood.

The Department of Planning will also write to community members and other stakeholders explaining the latest phase of the project application, and inviting the public to make submissions. There will be an onus on PAC to respond to issues raised.

PAC Chief Executive Officer Paul Sadler said the EA lodgment and exhibition was a significant milestone.

“The exhibition of the Environmental Assessment Report essentially means that we have so far lived up to the stringent requirements set down by the Department of Planning,” Mr Sadler said.

“We’ve been exhaustive in terms of balancing the project design with the community benefits on offer and how to best dovetail our offerings with local amenity.

“There have been many ideas and views from the community throughout the year, and each and every one has been looked at closely.

“As residents at this landmark site for nearly 100 years, we’re confident that our proposal is the best in terms of functionality, viability and amenity, and of course continuing our not-for-profit mission in the Paddington community.”

PAC reiterated that the primary objective of the project was to ensure that the Scottish Hospital Site kept up with its tradition of community offerings, including aged-care accommodation choices for local residents, particularly affordable accommodation.

The site has a long history of providing health, aged-care ministry and welfare services to the community since the mid 1800’s. There have been many evolving changes to keep up with community changes.

However, very little has changed at the site over the past 25 years, resulting in some buildings becoming dated and being closed, and resulting in PAC being unable to meet growing community needs.

“This is a plan to ease pressure on the inner-city’s chronic undersupply of aged accommodation, provide living options for different socio-economic needs and enable locals to transition to seniors living arrangements close to their families and social networks,” Mr Sadler added.

“And at the same time we are able to bring the old heritage buildings and garden sites back to their hey-day glory.”

PAC reiterated that key facets of the proposal include:

•                  Delivery of a 100 bed aged-care facility incorporating 20 dedicated dementia beds in a secure environment;

•                  Ensuring that 45% of beds in the aged care facility are concessional beds for low-income groups – meaning no accommodation bond is payable;

•                  Construction of 82 independent living units comprising 1, 2 and 3 bedroom configurations;

•                  The adaptive re-use of the heritage listed former Scottish Hospital building for independent living unit apartments;

•                  Removal of some structures on the site including the existing 88 bed aged care facility, redundant former hospital operating theatre and non-heritage significant buildings;

•                  Removal of low-value trees and weeds;

•                  • New landscaping incorporating the retention of 51 trees including all heritage listed species and the replacement of approximately 80 removed trees with more appropriate species; Notable additions and exclusions to the preliminary concepts based on community feedback include

•                  Eliminating stand-alone unit development into Dillon Reserve (adjacent to Stephen St), leaving this area open for better visual connection and community enjoyment;

•                  Lowering the edges of buildings facing Dillon Reserve to a maximum of three stories to offset visual bulk from the reserve, Stephen St and Glen St;

•                  Creating an appealing open-space piazza in the centre of the precinct to maximise visual connection from Dillon Reserve through to the heritage building on Cooper St;

•                  Eliminating general vehicle entry from Stephen St, restricting this entry for occasional service vehicles only;

•                  Lowering the residential aged care facility building on Stephen St in part by one floor, and introducing a ‘staggered’ street set-back to reduce visual bulk and create room for tree planting / screening;

•                  Introducing greater ‘tiering’ of the Stephen St building levels to offset bulk;

•                  Creating new landscaping and greenery offsets on Cooper St to reduce the visual bulk of the existing heritage building;

•                  Setting a portion of the Brown St independent living unit building further back from the street, and introducing ‘tiering’ to concentrate bulk away from the street;

•                  Ensuring that all Brown St buildings remain within the existing tree canopy to reduce visual impacts, and generally maximising landscaping opportunities to reduce visual impacts

PAC said two information briefings will be held on Monday 29^th November 2010 -from 4.00pm to 6.00pm and 7.00pm to 9.00pm -in a function room at The Vibe Hotel, 100 Bayswater Road, Rushcutters Bay.

The briefings will enable PAC and its consultant team to clarify and facilitate understanding of the proposal.

Interested participants should register by contacting the Scottish Hospital Information Line during business hours (9.00am – 5.00pm) on 1800 708 067, by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by visiting the project website at www.pacpaddington.org.au.

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Matthew Watson, Repute Communications & Associates

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