Border Mail - Clinic Off the Rail 15.2.2007

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CLINIC OFF THE RAILS ANTHONY BUNN 15/02/2007 8:00:00 AM A $20 MILLION medical centre planned for Wodonga has been scuttled because of delays in removing the railway from the centre of the city. The super clinic, which was first flagged in 2004, could have been sited on land occupied by the railway. But its Adelaide developer said the prospect of at least a two-year wait before the train line was removed meant it was not viable to continue with the project in Wodonga. Chief executive officer of Health and Life David Dahm said the uncertainty about the railway area followed the loss of its preferred location on army land in Pearce St, Wodonga, because it could not be used for retail purposes. “There were restraints on the commercial side and it caused us a problem and there was an alternate site, but there was a two-year delay,” Mr Dahm said. “A lot of clinicians that expressed interest in buying into it could not hold on that long, so it looks like it’s pretty much no-go unfortunately. “It’s a problem with timing and availability.” Mr Dahm said if the railway land had been cleared there would have been no reason not to proceed with the project in the city. “We would have done that because there has been a central opportunity to co-locate,” he said. Wodonga Council director of investment attraction Michael Gobel confirmed that Mr Dahm’s plans had fallen through after the sites earmarked proved unsatisfactory. However, he said the council was still pursuing the possibility of a super clinic. “We’ve been working with the local GPs and we’ve identified a preferred site for a medical cluster,” Mr Gobel said. “The site is owned by Vic Track and we’ve offered to facilitate the acquisition of that property on behalf of the GPs’ group by offering to purchase it off Vic Track and then on-sell it to the medical cluster group.” He said the land was east of High St and south of the railway line. He said removal of the train line would not be required for construction work to proceed. “My understanding is the site is not predicated on removal of the rail,” Mr Gobel said. “Part of it may be subject to a boundary adjustment, but it’s not a critical element.” Mr Dahm said his group was involved in constructing a clinic at Geraldton in Western Australia and had moved on from the Wodonga project. “We did our best and really wanted to do something, but that’s the way it works,” Mr Dahm said. He said the consolidation of medical services in Albury, at a building under construction on the former base hospital site, had not been a factor in abandoning Wodonga. But he did take some credit for such a project proceeding on the Border. Mr Dahm said one of the benefits was it “got others thinking to start to act and come together”. “I guess that is a positive spin-off, it means there is some sort of consolidation, but that project wasn’t up and running, it’s more recent, and the reason we did not get off the ground is more due to uncertainty with land,” he said. Secret to Losing Weight Featured on A Current Affair. Over 100 Kg lost. See Actual Photos. www.GabrielMethod.com.au/LoseWeight

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CLINIC OFF THE RAILS ANTHONY BUNN 15/02/2007 8:00:00 AM A $20 MILLION medical centre planned for Wodonga has been scuttled because of delays in removing the railway from the centre of the city. The super clinic, which was first flagged in 2004, could have been sited on land occupied by the railway. But its Adelaide developer said the prospect of at least a two-year wait before the train line was removed meant it was not viable to continue with the project in Wodonga. Chief executive officer of Health and Life David Dahm said the uncertainty about the railway area followed the loss of its preferred location on army land in Pearce St, Wodonga, because it could not be used for retail purposes. “There were restraints on the commercial side and it caused us a problem and there was an alternate site, but there was a two-year delay,” Mr Dahm said. “A lot of clinicians that expressed interest in buying into it could not hold on that long, so it looks like it’s pretty much no-go unfortunately. “It’s a problem with timing and availability.” Mr Dahm said if the railway land had been cleared there would have been no reason not to proceed with the project in the city. “We would have done that because there has been a central opportunity to co-locate,” he said. Wodonga Council director of investment attraction Michael Gobel confirmed that Mr Dahm’s plans had fallen through after the sites earmarked proved unsatisfactory. However, he said the council was still pursuing the possibility of a super clinic. “We’ve been working with the local GPs and we’ve identified a preferred site for a medical cluster,” Mr Gobel said. “The site is owned by Vic Track and we’ve offered to facilitate the acquisition of that property on behalf of the GPs’ group by offering to purchase it off Vic Track and then on-sell it to the medical cluster group.” He said the land was east of High St and south of the railway line. He said removal of the train line would not be required for construction work to proceed. “My understanding is the site is not predicated on removal of the rail,” Mr Gobel said. “Part of it may be subject to a boundary adjustment, but it’s not a critical element.” Mr Dahm said his group was involved in constructing a clinic at Geraldton in Western Australia and had moved on from the Wodonga project. “We did our best and really wanted to do something, but that’s the way it works,” Mr Dahm said. He said the consolidation of medical services in Albury, at a building under construction on the former base hospital site, had not been a factor in abandoning Wodonga. But he did take some credit for such a project proceeding on the Border. Mr Dahm said one of the benefits was it “got others thinking to start to act and come together”. “I guess that is a positive spin-off, it means there is some sort of consolidation, but that project wasn’t up and running, it’s more recent, and the reason we did not get off the ground is more due to uncertainty with land,” he said. Today's Breaking News Get the latest news in sport, entertainment and business www.TheAge.com.au

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