Is the hand that stirred the pot for Mr Ibrahim the hand of the SSWAHS Executive or the hand of the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice?

Medical centre project stalled - BEN MCCLELLAN - SHN - 11 Oct, 2010 09:30 AM

FIVE months after it was due to be completed and 18 months since the first sod was turned, the Gillian Health Centre at Moss Vale is still just a vacant block of land.

St Henri Group managing director Sam Ibrahim, the developer behind the $20 million project, said it was “recession proof” in April last year and told the News last month construction would now be started early next year.

He said “lots of little things” had delayed the project that would create 300 construction jobs, many of which would be sourced locally, Mr Ibrahim told the News at the centre’s launch last year.

The outcome of the Gateway development at the old Holden site next door, which Mr Ibrahim had an option on, had also put things on hold and was potentially a “conflicting development”.

Demolition on the site had been completed and Mr Ibrahim said he was waiting on a construction certificate.

The super clinic plan included 13 different services ranging from a 24-hour medical centre to physiotherapy and cosmetic surgery.

Mr Ibrahim lashed out at Wingecarribee Council’s planning department over a failed retail shopping centre at the Mazda car yard in Mittagong.

He said the council had “mucked him around” and the project was no longer commercially viable.

He said developers could be 100 per cent compliant with the council’s stipulations and still have projects turned down.

Mr Ibrahim also denied Theo Onisforou’s Intersection project in Station Street, Bowral, which could have a medical centre, would clash with the Gillian Centre.

He said the clinics would “complement each other” and the specialists at his centre would benefit from Mr Onisforou’s GP clinic.

“Bring it on,” he said.

Socrates says: Again, sometimes the things that go on behind the scenes are as cut throat in the Wingecarribee as they are in the big end of town when competitors make life difficult for those who oppose their respective developments. Was the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice a bit more than a little miffed by the success of Mr Ibrahim and the St Henri Group in securing their site in Moss Vale while the Division did not?

Southern Highlands Division of General Practice - Not-for-profit organisation or Property developer? Competitor - yes!

Medical Hub begins - BY BEN MCCLELLAN - SHN -10 Apr, 2009 01:52 PM

A NEW health super centre, with 13 different services, will be ready to roll in May next year after construction began on the Gillian Health Centre in Moss Vale on Monday.

Wingecarribee mayor Duncan Gair and Goulburn state MP Pru Goward were on hand to turn the first bit of soil at the $20 million St Henri Property Group development on Argyle Street.

St Henri Group managing director Sam Ibrahim said the centre would be a "one-stop" shop for medical services and Highlands's residents wouldn't have to travel to Wollongong or Sydney for specialist treatments.

Ms Goward said she welcomed the centre and the involvement of Wollongong University.

"The provision of medical, nursing and allied health training in the Southern Highlands is great for our young people. It means they can live and study in the Highlands," she said.

Ms Goward said the significant investment represents a vote of confidence in the economy of the Highlands.

"The Gillian Health Centre will move the emphasis from acute care to early intervention which is not only better value for the tax payer but also for the patient's quality of life," Ms Goward said.

"The Gillian Health Centre is a very special project for the Southern Highlands and is well supported by Council and the community," Cr Gair said.

The mayor said the centre had long-term benefits for the community and the facility was long overdue. He said the St Henri Group had shown great faith in pursuing the project and had worked well to overcome a few last minute traffic issues with the RTA.

He added that approval for the development was unique as it was one of the very few times he had experienced a unanimous vote in support of a DA.

Also participating in the ceremony was Professor Don Iverson, executive dean, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Wollongong. Professor Iverson spoke of the University's interest in the centre as a hub for training.

"Over the past two years, the potential for the Southern Highlands to provide the University of Wollongong with a training hub for health professionals has become obvious. The facilities and services that will be provided by the Gillian Health Centre will create opportunities for training medical, nursing, exercise science and rehabilitation, nutrition/dietetics and clinical psychology students."

The groundbreaking of the centre was the culmination of three years of economic and social impact studies, planning and design. The Gillian Health Centre is the first of a number of such centres to be built in NSW by the St Henri Group.

Mr Ibrahim said the four and half story development would see 300 construction jobs created and the Southern Highlands based development firm was looking to source as much of the labour locally as possible.

Ms Goward said she hoped the construction helped create Highlands jobs.

"There is no excuse not to use local people," she said.

While the economic conditions had changed dramatically since Mr Ibrahim started the 3,875-m2 projects he said the banks love developments such as the Gillian Centre because they were "recession proof."

"We all grow old and get sick. We are confident we will get return on our investment," he said.

Mr Ibrahim said the St Henri Group had all their projects approved by council so far and the Group was in the early stages of developing two retail centres in Mittagong."

This was an interesting comment by Mr Ibrahim in that it was said about the same time that Dr Warwick Ruscoe of the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice was also approaching Wingecarribee Council to try and see if they would be willing to approve the development of a Federally funded Super Clinic over the Council's carpark in Moss Vale (conveniently adjacent to a SHDGP Board member's medical practice). Fortunately Council refused the good doctor's request in favour of the residents of the Shire being able to continue to use their car park.

It is perhaps strange then, that Mr Ibrahim seemed to run into some sertious trouble in getting his development in Moss Vale under way sometime after the Division's failed bid. Socrates can't help but notice the coincidences in this tale of two towns and two developers.