Shovels Ready: Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment Breaks Ground After Years in the Making

newy.com.au – After years of planning and community engagement, construction of the long-anticipated $138 million redevelopment of Cessnock Hospital is set to begin, following the official appointment of Hansen Yuncken as the project’s builder in May 2025. This milestone marks a shift from design to delivery, with work expected to start later this year. The project aims to address capacity issues and ageing infrastructure, creating a facility better suited to meet the needs of the region’s growing population and the evolving demands of modern healthcare.

The hospital, which has served the Lower Hunter for decades, will be significantly reconfigured through the construction of a new two-level Acute Services Building. Once complete, the facility will include an expanded Emergency Department, additional inpatient wards with a mix of single and shared rooms, on-site medical imaging, surgical spaces, and a range of supporting services. The design also integrates a new pharmacy, operating theatre, and sterilisation facilities, elements added after an additional $26.5 million was allocated in the 2024–25 NSW Budget to expand the project’s scope.

While the redevelopment is being described as transformative, local and government say that it has not come about overnight. Planning began years earlier with a Clinical Services Plan, and a series of consultations involving clinicians, patients, staff and community members. Health Infrastructure and Hunter New England Local Health District have stated that extensive community feedback has influenced the layout and focus of the new facilities, including how services are connected and how spaces are designed to improve patient flow and staff efficiency.

Despite the optimism surrounding the project’s progress, the reality of building on an active hospital site brings significant logistical challenges. Hospital services will remain operational throughout the build, requiring carefully staged construction work to avoid disruptions to patient care. Health Infrastructure has acknowledged that this will require close coordination between the builder, hospital leadership and clinical staff. The aim is to minimise interference with daily operations, though some disruptions will likely be unavoidable as work ramps up.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park called the builder appointment “a key milestone”, and added, “The brand-new Acute Services Building will transform Cessnock Hospital, supporting the latest models of care and providing a welcoming environment for our valued healthcare staff, patients, and carers.” Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr used more colourful language, saying the long-promised redevelopment had gone from “too good to be true” to a tangible reality. “Before we know it, we will have shovels on site and a brand-new hospital rising up out of the ground. I can’t wait,” he said.

The latest planning approval was granted in April 2025, following a formal exhibition process that included the Review of Environmental Factors. During the exhibition period, 25 formal submissions were received from members of the public and various stakeholders, with responses to the feedback compiled and submitted to planning authorities. This final approval has allowed the project to move into the construction phase, with completion expected in 2027.

Community involvement is expected to continue throughout the construction period, with project teams maintaining communication through newsletters, drop-in sessions and digital updates. While much of the public commentary has been positive, some residents have raised concerns about the scale of the development, particularly its integration with surrounding infrastructure and the long-term sustainability of the site.

Ultimately, the redevelopment of Cessnock Hospital represents a significant investment in public health infrastructure for the Lower Hunter. If delivered as planned, it could relieve pressure on neighbouring hospitals and ensure that residents can access a broader range of services locally. However, as construction begins, the focus will shift from what’s been promised to what can actually be delivered, on time, within budget, and with minimal disruption to the healthcare services the community relies on.

Anna Styles-Tape, Acting Executive Director of Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability at Hunter New England Health, said, “We look forward to work getting underway to deliver a contemporary health facility to support our staff in delivering best practice models of care to the Cessnock community.”