Green light for hospital demolition

The demolition of the former St John of God Hospital will soon be underway after the City of Bunbury issued a permit allowing for the derelict building to be knocked down.

Habitat International managing director Jan Zuideveld, spokesman for the owners of the building, said demolition would start in four to six weeks.

‘‘It will take about three months but the whole thing will be down by Christmas,’’ he said.

Habitat International has been negotiating with Perth-based demolition contractors Brajkovich Demolition & Salvage Pty Ltd about pulling the hospital down floor by floor.

City of Bunbury executive manager city development Geoff Klem said conditions attached to the licence placed a number of conditions on the contractor to safeguard the amenity of surrounding houses and businesses.

‘‘The city has imposed a number of conditions on the developer Habitat International in recognition of the close proximity of the buildings to residential properties,’’ Mr Klem said.

‘‘The demolition process will include deconstructing the buildings by either salvaging or reusing as much material as possible.

‘‘This entails less impact on surrounding residences than other methods such as implosion or wrecking.’’

Other conditions include the requirement for noise and traffic management plans, control of dust and time restricted working hours.

The demolition is welcome news to neighbours surrounding the rundown hospital who have said the state of the hospital had been an ongoing embarrassment since the building was left vacant in 2009.

The site could become home to three apartment towers if Habitat International’s vision of 120 units is realised.

However concerns have been raised that it may be years before anything is built with no confirmed timeframe for construction.