Mt Claremont hospital site for sale by tender

The State Government is offering the 2.48-hectare Old Swanbourne Hospital site in Mt Claremont for sale by public tender.

Housing and Works Minister Francis Logan said that, in addition to the existing buildings, an area of more than 5,000 square metres of vacant land on the site was suitable for exclusive residential development.

He said all the on-site buildings were of heritage significance, meaning any redevelopment would need to comply with guidelines prepared in consultation with the Heritage Council of WA.

Set in parkland that offers views to the city, the hospital was built in 1904 and named Claremont Hospital for the Insane. It was Western Australia’s biggest hospital for the mentally ill for most of the 20th century. The building has been empty since 1987.

“Developers who agree to the conservation and environmental guidelines will have to follow the specific uses nominated for each of the buildings,” Mr Logan said.

“With the site now rezoned, property developers have some certainty about its redevelopment potential in relation to residential constructions and commercial ven-tures. The Old Swanbourne Hospital site could be considered among the hottest properties in town.”

The public tender  will close on December 15 2005 with acceptance scheduled for December 29.