Plans for a new medical hub will help plug shortage of healthcare workers

Two high-profile local developers have a plan to transform a mostly-empty lot in North Tamworth into a state-of-the-art medical clinic and childcare centre.

Managing director of Burke and Smyth Commercial Gavin Knee said the site's location at 174 Johnston Street was "second-to-none" for a purpose-built facility only 300 metres from Tamworth hospital.

"To have it all in a hub so centrally located and next to a brand-new $220 million hospital and cancer centre is exactly what the consumer wants and the tenants need," Mr Knee said.

The property expert and point man for land sales in Tamworth's Global Gateway Park has teamed up with local husband-and-wife developers Campbell and Narree McIntosh to bring out the site's full potential.

The couple say the level of interest in their other ongoing project - Tamworth's first large multi-storey apartment complex - has given them the confidence to look ahead to their next big project.

Mr McIntosh told the Leader the size of the 12,500-square-metre block meant there were "no limitations" on what they could eventually build for the new medical hub.

The developers say they've been in discussions with a GP who has an "established practice with a good referral network" and is looking to expand.

The details of the discussions are strictly confidential, but Mr Knee said they're in the "final throes" of making initial plans and agreements.

"That forms the basis of the development, then we'll add on the pathology, x-ray imaging, and associated allied health services," he said.

These plans are expected to be finalised and a development application submitted between March and June 2024.

"We're going to have a focus on sustainability and take into consideration what the client's medical practise requires for delivering high-quality healthcare," Mr McIntosh said.

"Since we've secured the property there's been a huge amount of interest already, so we'd encourage anyone who'd like to make an expression of interest to contact Gavin at Burke and Smyth."

One potential problem for the eventual medical hub is the lack of professional health staff in regional areas.

But Mr McIntosh said he was confident the new development would go a long way in attracting medical professionals to the region.

"If you've got the latest, purpose-built, brand new building you're going to attract the right people," he said.

In addition, Mr Knee said plans for a new childcare centre in the medical hub would allow the area to cater to the needs of working families.

"You can expect anything from an 80 to 100 place childcare centre and the building has a potential floor area from 2500 to 3500 square metres," he said.

Mr Knee said the large site also provided enough space for car parking, pickup, and drop off, mitigating traffic impacts which have been a hurdle for other developments in the busy suburb.