The consultation period for the new Harden-Murrumburrah Ambulance Station is currently underway, with the proposed l ocation to be on the corner of Scott & Lucan Streets. Affected residents have until the 9th of March to comment on the draft plans to NSW Health Infrastructure. Although the site is officially listed as 52-54 Swift Street, the frontage for the proposed ambulance station will be on Scott Street, with an entry way on Lucan Street and an exit for the ambulances on Scott Street. The draft plans also reveal the possible location of the Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) hospital, which would also be located on Scott Street west of the proposed ambulance station if the MPS enters the construction phase. Thus far, no firm commitment to a planning and construction timetable for the Harden MPS been made as part of a wider programme to upgrade regional hospital services.
The new station is to be constructed under the Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) Programme, which will provide modern ambulance station facilities and equip paramedics for the future needs of their local communities. $14,462,000.00 was set aside for the 2015/2016 Financial Year by the NSW Government in 2015 for ambulance station upgrades, with the entire programme set to have a total cost of $122 million. The Reconfiguration program is due to finish in 2025, with planning for further works on other stations to take place. Harrden is joined by Ardlethan, Berry, Coolamon, Molong and Griffith with new ambulance stations in the planning and consultation phase.
The consultation is being undertaken under the requirements of part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. The project does not require planning approval from Harden Shire Council. Left: The draft plans showing the new Ambulance Station’s position on the corner of Scott and Lucan Streets. With the movement of the station, the question now begs answering – does the town need a Helipad at the Hospital for a more streamlined process of patient transferal, particularly in life threatening cases? Currently the Snowy Hydro South Care Helicopter must land on McLean Oval.
