Sydney Developer Greenlit for Border Town Private Hospital

Boutique Sydney developer Criterion Property Group has won approval from the Wodonga City Council for a 104-bed, four-storey private hospital on the Victoria-New South Wales border.

The $60-million development has been approved for a 7300sq m site at 26 Stanley Street, in the centre of Wodonga and about 2km from the Murray River, which marks the border between the two states.

The hospital will provide sub-acute care, with a focus on rehabilitation, geriatric evaluation and management, and palliative and psychogeriatric care.

The plans, which according to online monitor BCI Central were lodged just five months ago, include 104 beds over three levels, as well as a hydro pool, café, two gymnasiums, lounges, kitchens and dining rooms on three floors, as well as consulting rooms and offices.

There will be two-level parking for about 100 vehicles.

Australia-wide property specialists LAWD said a heads-of-agreement had been signed in November last year with an as-yet unnamed operator for the medical facility.

LAWD director of transactions and advisory Andrew Graham said at the time the transaction had been completed relatively quickly.

▲ The private hospital will be part of a mixed-use development, including apartments and office space.

“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 New South Wales,” Graham said.

The private medical facility is part of a much bigger mixed-use development by Criterion—known as The Quarter Wodonga—which will include 28 luxury residential apartments and 4000sq m of retail and commercial in a planned two buildings, all close to the hospital.

Criterion said construction documents have been finalised for the first stage.

In 2019 the Wodonga City Council announced it was selling two adjoining properties to Criterion. 

Public documents at the time showed the developer would pay $1.74 million for the 8155sq m at 41-43 Elgin Boulevard and $1.81 million for 8880sq m at 26 Stanley Street.

Both sales were to be contingent upon Criterion getting planning permits for each of the properties for a “comprehensive development.”

Sydney-based Criterion was established in 1998 by John Mooney. It remains privately-owned.