CLEVELAND’s Weippin Street is set to become the centre of a major health hub after the state government and Redland City Council committed $100,000 to draw up a plan for the area.
It is still unknown what the plans will entail however, it is envisaged the area will become a one-stop shop for a range of allied health services, aged care and nursing and training accommodation.
The state’s Metro South Health board and council will both contribute $50,000 to draw up the plan, which will include a vacant block of land in Long Street, opposite Redland Hospital.
It is likely the plan will also take into consideration a 123-bed aged care facility of up to three storeys and a basement to be built in nearby Smith Street, Cleveland.
Council gave MacKenzie Aged Care Group approval in February despite the site being zoned residential.
The health hub, put on the backburner in March last year, was reinvigorated after the Housing Department put up for sale the 15.73hectare Long Street block in May.
Council asked the state to halt the sale of the land, set aside for the expansion of the Alexandra Hills Tafe campus but put on the land disposal register in 2012.
Mayor Karen Williams wrote to State Development director-general David Edwards in June and asked for the Housing Department to transfer the land to Metro South Health board.
She said the Long Street site was surrounded by council and state land and was ideal for the expansion of the city’s two hospitals and associated services.
At last week’s full council meeting, Cr Williams said it was an opportunity to deliver on community expectations for better health services and to provide jobs and bolster Cleveland.
“The idea is to provide services close to home for our aging population so elderly don’t have to travel to larger hospitals in Brisbane,” she said.
Cr Williams said the hub would complement the Queensland University and Mater Hospital’s nursing training centre which opened in Middle Street, Cleveland, last year.
Councillors Paul Bishop (Div10), Murray Elliott (Div 7) and Craig Ogilvie (Div 2) voted against the request to spend $50,000 on drawing a plan for the area.