Is the vision a pipedream?

Neighbours of the former St John of God Hospital have welcomed the news the run-down building will be demolished, but are concerned it may be years before anything is built on the vacant site.

The site could become the home of three apartment towers if the project manager’s vision of 120 units is realised.

The planning application was approved by the Bunbury City Council, but some councillors raised doubts the buildings would ever be constructed.

Habitat International managing director Jan Zuideveld admitted at last week’s council meeting that the owners are yet to organise a start time for construction and have not costed the proposed towers.

The owners are also looking to sell one of the three lots and has commissioned international real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle to seek out expressions of interest.

‘‘We intend to subdivide the property into three super lots in line with the current approved development application and intend to sell one site and develop the remaining two sites,’’ Mr Zuideveld said.

Last week, Mr Zuideveld said he estimated the towers would cost $15 million each and could not give a timeline for construction and completion.

Development plans for the site stalled in 2006 due to the Global Financial Crisis and some councillors raised concerns about the owners’ ability to fund the project.

Tree street residents said the old St John of God Hospital had been a cause of ongoing embarrassment for the council.

Since it was left vacant in 1999, the hospital has been an eyesore of the southern CBD and a haven for squatters and drug users.

The state of the vacant building has worsened over the years with vandals destroying rooms, covering walls with graffiti tags, smashing windows and dumping rubbish.

Cr Michelle Steck said it was unlikely the development would ever see the light of day and approving the plan was setting the community up for failure.

Tree street resident Bridget Green said neighbours to the hospital had suffered due to the area turning into a ghetto.

Other tree street residents said the council rushed the planning approval because it was under pressure to make a decisive decision about the old hospital’s demolition.