Buyer found for Sunset Hospital

A Malaysian Sultan has emerged as the buyer of Dalkeith’s Sunset Hospital matron's house, with the state government announcing the sale of the 1,993 square metre property for $8.5 million.

Premier Colin Barnett said Sultan Ibrahim Ismail of Malaysian state Johor was the buyer, with the deal to facilitate redevelopment of the Sunset Heritage Precinct.

The state government relaunched the sales process for the Sunset Hospital in September last year, after a proposal to create an arts and culture precinct in collaboration with the University of Western Australia failed to proceed in 2007.

In 2013, the state government attempted to sell the plot again, expecting to raise $10 million, but a suitable buyer was not able to be found.

The sale announced today was brokered by TM Residential.

Stage one restoration works will include demolition of non-heritage buildings, preservation works, power, water and sewerage upgrades, landscaping and maintenance.

Once restored, the buildings will be leased to non-profit and community groups, the premier said.

The Sunset Hospital, which was built in 1904, has been vacant since it was decommissioned in 1995. 

Any future development of the surplus land on the site will need to comply with the City of Nedlands town planning scheme.

"This signals a modest but positive beginning to the transformation of Sunset," Finance Minister Bill Marmion said.

"The government's Sunset Transformation Strategy will conserve the site for arts, cultural, community and ancillary commercial purposes."