Plenary Health consortium has been announced as the preferred bidder to enter into an exclusive negotiation with the Victorian Government to deliver the new Footscray Hospital – the largest-ever health infrastructure investment in the state.
The consortium includes Plenary Group as sponsor and investor, Sojitz Corporation as an investor, Multiplex as the builder; and Honeywell and Compass as the facilities and maintenance managers. The architectural design team is led by Billard Leece Partnership and Cox Architecture.
The project is being delivered as a Public Private Partnership which involves bringing together a private consortium to design, construct, finance and maintain the new facility over a period of 25 years, creating up to 2,000 jobs during the construction and operating phases of the hospital.
The recent announcement follows an extensive tender process, which delivered strong interest from some of Australia’s largest construction companies and culminated in three consortia being shortlisted.
The new Footscray Hospital, to be located on the corner of Geelong and Ballarat Roads, will replace the ageing Footscray Hospital on Gordon Street, which was built in the 1950s.
It will feature at least 504 beds, enabling care for almost an additional 15,000 patients and an extra 20,000 people to be seen by the emergency department each year.
There will also be more outpatient, palliative care and mental health services, ensuring the community can access quality care close to home.
Construction is set to commence immediately upon contract award and is on track to be completed in 2025.
CEO of the Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority (VHHSBA), Rob Fiske, said the new Footscray Hospital is the single biggest hospital project in Victoria’s history to date, and that the VHHSBA is doing everything they can to get construction underway as soon as possible.
“Following an extensive evaluation process, Government will now negotiate solely with Plenary Health towards contract award,” Mr Fiske detailed.
“This hospital means world-class care in the growing Western suburbs for generations to come.”