$68.7m Orthonova Orthopaedic Hospital approved by JDAP

State planners have approved WA’s first hospital to specialise in joints and sports orthopaedic surgery, which is backed by some of the sector’s leading surgeons.

Coined the Orthonova Orthopaedic Hospital, it would eventually be linked by a corridor to St John of God Murdoch’s hospital campus.

It is set to include four operating rooms, 28 recovery beds, inpatient wards and two commercial tenancy options.

The Metro Inner Development Assessment Panel unanimously approved the $68.7 million development application on Tuesday in a bid by surgeons to meet the “growing demand” for specialist healthcare.

The development would also add to the emerging Murdoch health and knowledge precinct — which Development WA believes will become the southern corridor’s “home to health research, medical care, higher education and innovative business development”.

Planning documents say the four-storey specialist medical facility would provide orthopaedic surgical services.

“The proposed development will expand the offering of essential medical and healthcare services to the local community and wider metropolitan region and is suitably located within the existing St John of God Murdoch Hospital site,” they said.

DAP deputy presiding member Lee O’Donohue said Orthonova was well suited to the precinct.

“Obviously this fits in very nicely with the structure plan and what is anticipated to occur in this area,” she said.

“I see it as a well designed, well thought out proposal for St John of God to expand.”

City of Melville councillor Daniel Lim said he was supportive of the overall development and efforts to maintain canopy conservation across the site.

“We did our best to try to conserve the trees by planting additional trees,” he said.

“Overall I think it’s a good development, I don’t see any issues.”

Orthopaedic surgeon Graham Forward previously said the venture had already been drawing appeal across the medical sector.

“Word travels fast within the orthopaedic industry and our hospital’s custom edge design and cutting-edge theatres are already attracting plenty of interest from colleagues, locally and internationally,” he told PerthNow in January.

St John of God Health Care chief executive Bryan Pyne said the already positive response from the orthopaedic community meant the group was also planning for a second facility in Perth’s northern suburbs.

“Our focus on excellence in clinical safety and outcomes positions us well to expand this offering to patients north of the river,” he said.

A planning condition stipulates construction must begin within four years but Orthonova plans to move much earlier, with opening slated for mid-2026.