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Find out what's happening with the project.

May 2025

May 2025

The Government has confirmed over half a billion dollars will be invested over four years to deliver the second stage of Nelson Hospital’s re-development.

The Honourable Nicola Willis, Minister of Finance, and the Honourable Simeon Brown, Minister of Health, travelled to Nelson on May 26 and announced it will be one of the first hospitals to benefit from the Government’s $1 billion investment in hospital infrastructure.

 As part of this investment, the hospital site will undergo a major redevelopment, including the construction of a new inpatient building by 2029. This new inpatient building will include 128 beds – 41 more than the current capacity – along with an acute assessment unit, transit lounge, and other dedicated spaces for services.

To support care delivery during the construction period, the Ministers also announced Nelson will also be the first hospital in the country to receive one of the Government’s new modular inpatient units. These 28 to 32-bed units are transportable and designed to quickly add capacity where it’s most needed. Ours is expected to be delivered within the next 12 months.

In addition to the new build, the George Manson and Percy Brunette buildings will be refurbished and seismically strengthened. A new Energy Centre will support critical hospital infrastructure, and we’ll see digital upgrades to help enable more modern models of care. Further business cases will deliver additional improvements.

You can read more about the Ministers announcement.
Media release: Government to deliver redevelopment of Nelson Hospital (external link)

The first phase - Project One - for the hospital is already underway and involves the early enabling works including design development, early strengthening works to reduce seismic risk and initial works to make the campus ready for future construction. The Detailed Business Case (DBC) for Nelson Redevelopment Project 2 was released soon after the Ministers’ announcement - this outlines a plan to adopt more efficient healthcare models and expand capacity to support Nelson’s growing and ageing population and builds on Project One’s works and is part of a broader, long-term plan.

Project Two is the cornerstone of the redevelopment and includes:

  • A new inpatient building – designed with flexible spaces, modern layouts, and improved patient/staff flow 
  • A new Energy Centre – providing resilient, efficient infrastructure to support hospital operations
  • Refurbishment of the George Manson Building – along with the ground floor of Percy Brunette, once Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation (AT&R) services relocate to the Inpatient unit including kitchen upgrades to support future growth.

Nelson-Marlborough Group Director Operations, Lexie O’Shea, said work is also underway to ensure we have the workforce needed to support these developments and deliver improved healthcare for the community well into the future.

This project has been carefully scoped to meet clinical demand through to 2043, reduce seismic risk, and enable early realisation of benefits through a phased, practical delivery model. Lexie said the Nelson Hospital redevelopment is designed to respond to the needs of the Nelson and Marlborough district, but future investments will be needed as the population grows and ages.

“This marks a major and exciting milestone for Nelson Hospital. We’re committed to keeping staff informed and involved as planning and implementation move forward,” Lexie said.

More details on the Detailed Business case can be found here:
Nelson Hospital Detailed Business Case – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Health Minister Simoen Brown and Nelson Mayor Nick Smith at the recent announcement regarding the future of Nelson Hospital Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Health Minister Simoen Brown and Nelson Mayor Nick Smith at the recent announcement regarding the future of Nelson Hospital Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Health Minister Simoen Brown and Nelson Mayor Nick Smith at the recent announcement regarding the future of Nelson Hospital

Caption: Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Health Minister Simoen Brown and Nelson Mayor Nick Smith at the recent announcement regarding the future of Nelson Hospital

Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Health Minister Simoen Brown and Nelson Mayor Nick Smith at the recent announcement regarding the future of Nelson Hospital

March 2025

March 2025
L-R: Martin Keogh (Deputy CE, Te Waipounamu), Liz Thompson (Project Director, Project Whakatupuranga), Hon. Simeon Brown (Minister of Health), Sandy McLean-Cooper (Director of Nursing & Midwifery), Jeremy Holmon (Chief Infrastructure & Investment Officer) L-R: Martin Keogh (Deputy CE, Te Waipounamu), Liz Thompson (Project Director, Project Whakatupuranga), Hon. Simeon Brown (Minister of Health), Sandy McLean-Cooper (Director of Nursing & Midwifery), Jeremy Holmon (Chief Infrastructure & Investment Officer)

L-R: Martin Keogh (Deputy CE, Te Waipounamu), Liz Thompson (Project Director, Project Whakatupuranga), Hon. Simeon Brown (Minister of Health), Sandy McLean-Cooper (Director of Nursing & Midwifery), Jeremy Holmon (Chief Infrastructure & Investment Officer)

Health Minister Simeon Brown visited Nelson Hospital to see firsthand the hard work of our frontline staff and explore ways to improve access to timely, quality healthcare for patients in the region. He also viewed the progress of earthquake strengthening work on the hospital building and noted that enabling works and demolition for the Project Whakatupuranga hospital redevelopment are well underway.

October 2024

October 2024

On 11 October, Health New Zealand representatives presented an update on Project Whakatupuranga, the Nelson Hospital
redevelopment project, to the Nelson and Tasman District Councils.

Dr Peter Bramley, Senior Responsible Officer; Liz Thompson, Project Director for Project Whakatupuranga; Blake Lepper, Head of Infrastructure Delivery; Jess Haywood, Project Director Clinical Transformation; and Dr Nick Baker, Interim National Chief Medical Officer attended the briefing and discussed the project objectives and challenges.

Watch the briefing in full here:

Nelson Hospital Project Update - Joint Committee of Tasman District and Nelson City Council briefing - Nelson City Council - YouTube (external link)

The project aims to address issues at Nelson Hospital, including:

Demand and capacity:

  • Health New Zealand predicts a need for increased medical and surgical beds and additional emergency department capacity by 2043.
Seismic safety:
  • Earthquake strengthening on the George Manson building at Nelson Hospital is underway. These works are part of broader efforts to ensure the safety and resilience of hospital infrastructure.
Fit-for-purpose facilities:
  • The project will provide the community with upgraded facilities with better access to contemporary models of healthcare for the changing population.

The detailed business case, including the master plan, scope, and timelines of the redevelopment, is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Ministers will consider this in early 2025.

June 2024

June 2024

Nelson Hospital Redevelopment update

After receiving $73 million in funding in 2023 for the detailed business case and initial enabling works, the hospital project team has been drawing on experiences from previous new builds across the country. Delays in larger, single builds have been challenging because of the scale and finding contractor capacity to do the work. This has led to a staged approach to the building being considered.

"Following a staged approach allows the benefits to the areas in greatest need to happen sooner," said Lexie O’Shea – Group Director of Operations at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora. “Staged building will allow parts of the project to be completed sooner because of better collaboration with the construction industry, which will match its capacity and allow risk mitigation, as well as more certain delivery times.”

Masterplanning is underway as part of the detailed business case process. This is driven from population and health need modelling projections. These are currently being finalised to ensure the hospital capacity and capability is futureproofed and reflects the contemporary models of care the region needs. 

In tandem with the redevelopment efforts, Health NZ has commenced earthquake strengthening works on the George Manson building at the Nelson Hospital. These essential works are part of broader work to increase the safety and resilience of hospital infrastructure to comply with Earthquake Prone Building (EPB) notices.

This is the first stage of a programme of earthquake strengthening works in the George Manson and Percy Brunette buildings. Bringing these buildings up to standard is a crucial first step for the Nelson Hospital Redevelopment.

We would like to reassure staff and patients that both the George Manson and Percy Brunette buildings are safe to occupy and that health services will only be minimally impacted while this work is underway.

We are taking every possible step to reduce the noise and disruption to staff, patients and whānau, and we thank everyone in advance for their patience while we carry out these strengthening works.

About Project Whakatupuranga

Nelson Hospital is the largest of two secondary hospitals in the Nelson Marlborough region, providing healthcare services to a growing and aging population.

The Project Whakatupuranga – Nelson Hospital redevelopment will provide the community with upgraded facilities with better access to contemporary models of healthcare for the changing population.

The redevelopment design will incorporate technology and processes to enhance the experience for patients, their whānau and staff, and benefit people across the Te Tau Ihu, Top of the South for years to come.

The Nelson Hospital Redevelopment received $73 million in funding in 2023 to maintain momentum and get design and enabling works underway. This is the first stage in a multi-phase programme, to be carried out over 10 years.

In tandem with the redevelopment efforts, Health NZ has commenced earthquake strengthening works on the George Manson building at Nelson Hospital. These essential works, due for completion by 2025, are part of broader work to increase the safety and resilience of hospital infrastructure to comply with Earthquake Prone Building (EPB) notices.

More detail on the redevelopment, including a new, staged approach will be outlined in the masterplan, due to be released in the third quarter of this year.

A phased approach

Due to the large scale and scope of the redevelopment, a phased approach will be taken with clinical and building needs prioritised to inform the phasing and order of the redevelopment

  • Phase 1: Design to complete the campus masterplan and develop a detailed business case which will define the remaining stages. Once the bulk and location for the campus is confirmed enabling works will progress to prepare the site and infrastructure where possible.
  • Phase 2: Final design stages and construction of new facilities. Seismic strengthening and refurbishment of some of the existing facilities will also be prioritised.
  • Phases 3 to 6: Refurbishment and re-purposing of existing buildings.

Estimated timeline

  1. Step ✔: Late 2024

    Demolition and enabling works commence

  2. Step ✔: First half of 2025

    Detailed business case considered by Government

  3. Step ✔: 2026

    Construction begins on Acute Services Building

  4. Step ✔: 2029

    Acute Services Building operational

  5. Step ✔: 2030

    George Mason refurbishment complete

  6. Step ✔: 2033 to 2034

    Further business case(s) will be developed to reassess the growth required for other services

Publications

These documents outline Cabinet decisions on the Programme Business Case for the Nelson Hospital redevelopment – Project Whakatupuranga.

Cabinet approved Option One of the Programme Business Case at an estimated cost of $1.098 billion, commencement of the design and enabling works for Phase One, and the Detailed Business Case (DBC) for Phase Two.

The Detailed Business Case for Phase Two is expected at the end of 2025.

Some material has been withheld under section 9(2)(i) Official Information Act (1982), to enable commercial activities to be carried out without prejudice or disadvantage.

Download: Cabinet Material: Nelson Hospital Redevelopment - PDF, 2 MB

Publication Date: 09 August 2023