Nelson Hospital Redevelopment Begins: New 128-Bed Inpatient Building Construction Starts

The sod has been turned on Nelson Hospital's new 128-bed inpatient building, marking the beginning of construction, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

We know how important the redevelopment of Nelson Hospital is for the Nelson and Marlborough communities. Today is the most significant milestone yet for the project and for the communities it will serve, Mr Brown says.

Nelson Hospital is under increasing pressure from a growing and ageing population, and a shortage of beds is putting pressure on the services delivered such as elective treatment.

For years the Nelson community was promised this redevelopment, but it did not progress. Our Government committed to it last year, and we are getting on and delivering it.

Construction will begin with service diversions, bulk earthworks, piling, and ground improvements to prepare the site for the new building. This phase is expected to take around 12 months, and procurement for the head contractor is progressing alongside it. From late 2027, Nelson will start to see the building rise on the site.

The new inpatient building will deliver at least 41 additional adult medical and surgical beds, and will complement new models of care. It will include an Acute Assessment Unit, a patient transit lounge, a pharmacy, and assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation services, alongside back-of-house functions.

These works mark the beginning of stage two of the Nelson Hospital Redevelopment, funded through Budget 2025.

Progress is also visible elsewhere on the campus, with the first modules for Nelson's new 28-bed rapid-build inpatient ward now arriving on site.

The modules were manufactured off site over the past five months, with extensive planning and preparation undertaken to transport them safely to site. Each module weighs around 44 tonnes, and the seven modules will together form a 1,200 square metre building.

Building off site while groundwork is completed on campus allows us to deliver capacity faster and with less disruption for patients and staff, to the same clinical and safety standards we expect of any permanent hospital facility.

Once all the modules are installed, work will move to weatherproofing, connecting services, internal fit-out, and commissioning.

This is what it means to fix the basics and build the future of healthcare for the people of Nelson and Marlborough. After years of promises, this community can now see that work under way, Mr Brown says.