REDLAND Hospital will receive a long-awaited facelift, with the state and federal governments tipping in more than $50 million to build a five-level car park.
It puts an end to years of campaigning from frustrated locals and comes about after the state government launched a $1.5 million business case into hospital expansion.
A total of 713 car parks will be built, bringing the number spaces at the hospital to 1162.
Health Minister Steven Miles said the multi-level car park would reduce the stress of looking for a park and was an enabler for future hospital expansion.
"It has taken us some time to do the business case, planning and work to ensure that we identify the most appropriate location and build a car park that will serve this community well into the future," he said.
"This project is important in allowing us to do more into the future to deliver more services and more hospital capacity here to the Redlands community."
Redlands MP Kim Richards said the project was timely, as hospital admissions had grown by 34 per cent over the last five years.
"Now is the time to unite and recover and to create jobs in local community," she said.
" ... A new hospital car park will go a long way to ensuring we can build on the great work we've been doing here at the hospital."
She said expanding infrastructure, additional beds and an intensive care unit had been discussed under the business study.
Capalaba MP Don Brown said the project was expected to be completed in early 2022 and would create up to 74 construction jobs.
"We're fast-tracking the Redland Hospital car park by providing $3 million in project funds upfront, so we can kick off early enabling works straight away," he said.
The car park would include features such as solar panels, a water tank, bike spaces, showers and lockers.
It is set to be built in the north-west corner of the facility behind the existing buildings.
Mr Miles said parking fees would be kept as low as possible.
He said rates would be determined before the car park was opened and were likely to be less than those at other urban car parks.
Bowman MP Andrew Laming said the $16 million the federal government investment was due for the next financial year.
"The staff are what it is all about and they deserve to have a high-quality car park," he said.
"It is not a small investment, it is an enabler. It is important that you can get home safely and that patients can get here safely."
The car park project comes about three months after the opening of a $1.73 million birthing unit.
Earlier
THE state government has announced it will fund a five-level car park to ease congestion at Redland Hospital.
Health Minister Steven Miles will announce details of the car park at Redland Hospital this morning.
It comes about four months out from the state government election.
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