THE future of the 2000-hectare Hydro Aluminium site at Kurri Kurri is on the table, with options for reuse including a hospital, light industry, commercial uses and housing.
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The state government is considering the site for a second Maitland hospital.
Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon said on Tuesday the site would be ‘‘perfect’’ for the planned hospital.
‘‘Apparently, there isn’t a site of sufficient size in Maitland LGA [local government area] but Kurri is virtually in Maitland,’’ Mr Fitzgibbon said. ‘‘Kurri was in the Maitland electorate at one point.’’
Mr Fitzgibbon said the site, which is in Cessnock city, was close to the Hunter Expressway and prime for redevelopment.
Hydro Aluminium managing director Richard Brown confirmed his company had participated in a Hunter New England Health expression of interest for land for a second hospital.
Hunter New England Health chief executive Michael DiRienzo said no site had been selected for the proposed hospital and ‘‘that decision is still some way off’’.
Cessnock MP Clayton Barr said the Hydro site had ‘‘massive potential’’.
‘‘Remediation of the site, which could cost up to $200million, is a responsibility of the company,’’ he said.
The Hydro site was mothballed last October and, although it could be restarted as an aluminium smelter, Mr Brown said that was ‘‘highly unlikely’’.
Mr Brown said the company was considering the ramifications of a permanent closure, including remediation requirements and future land uses. The site will be considered in the state government’s Lower Hunter Regional Strategy review.
Cessnock Mayor Bob Pynsent toured the site on Tuesday along with Kurri Business Chamber president and Cessnock councillor Rod Doherty and Mr Brown. Cr Pynsent said he would love to see the site reused for ‘‘some other employment-generating activity’’, if contamination issues could be overcome.
Cr Doherty said 550jobs were lost at the plant last year, along with a similar amount of contract jobs in satellite industries that fed off the plant.
‘‘We need opportunities for new industry,’’ Mr Doherty said.
The future of the Hydro Kurri site has drawn parallels with other Hunter industrial endings, including BHP in Newcastle and Pasminco in Lake Macquarie.
Mr Doherty said Hydro’s contamination would not be a major problem.