HEALTH minister Michael Ferguson says demolition work at the Royal Hobart Hospital will ramp up in coming months as a major redevelopment of the site is put back on track.
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The state government suspended works at the health precinct last year so a taskforce could review what it claimed had become an explosive disaster.
Mr Ferguson said that last year the project was in free fall.
‘‘The idea of a redevelopment at the Royal this time last year would have been pure fantasy because it was so badly off the rails,’’ he said.
‘‘Not just for costs, and not just for time, but critically that key piece of the puzzle of how you look after patients at a working hospital.’’
Mr Ferguson said time and cost overruns had been brought under control and a fully costed patient decanting plan mapped out.
He said construction would start this year on a temporary on-site building to house patients during the project.
One of the hospital’s main buildings, B-Block, will be demolished by next April.
Mr Ferguson said the $656million project would be completed by the end of 2018.
Opposition Leader Bryan Green said his party would be observing the project’s progress closely.
‘‘We’ll be watching as to whether or not Mr Ferguson is honouring his commitment to get the Royal back on track,’’ he said.
