Development approval has been given for a proposed major building project at Sir Thomas Mitchell Residential Care Facility at Illawong.
However, the number of beds will not increase, as initially reported, but will drop from 125 beds to 111 through a reconfiguration.
A development application (DA) for the $5.57 million project, which was lodged in June 2016, was approved by Sutherland Shire Council in December, 2017.
The DA said the work would include internal refurbishment of the existing ground floor and the addition of a first floor which would include rooms, lounges and dining spaces.
Conditions were imposed on the development by the council following an IHAP (Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel) meeting.
Director of nursing Magie Bianco said the Leader’s initial report of an increase in bed numbers – based on a misunderstanding of DA documents – was incorrect.
“At the moment, our facility has shared rooms,” she said.
“We are going to go to single rooms.
“Whether we will continue to have some shared rooms has not been decided.”
Ms Bianco said existing residents and their families had nothing to worry about, as security of tenure was provided by the law.
”We don’t know when [the project] will start,” she said.
‘The CEO has five years [to implement the DA]; there is no time frame for this.”
Ms Bianco said no decision had been made on the number of staff to be employed once the work was completed even though the DA said it was anticipated up to 40 staff would work in three shifts over 24 hours.