Maitland City Council has unanimously approved a development application for a $12 million hotel within the city's health district for patients and families.
The development application for 34 Turton Street, Metford, was lodged in 2025. It proposed the demolition of the existing building on the site, and the construction over two stages of a hotel/motel with 37 rooms.
Later that month, the council voted to waive the associated application fees for the project in support of Rotary.
The proposal is a project of Maitland Rotary Clubs and is intended to provide accommodation only for patients, and families or carers of patients of Maitland Hospital and other nearby medical facilities.
The project is a result of an identified need for "convenient, affordable accommodation for patients, their families and caregivers, travelling to Maitland for health care".
The director of Maitland HealthStays and chair of Rotary Club East Maitland, Trevor Lynch, said the project would bring some economic benefit to Maitland, but the real benefit would be for patients.
"They, at a difficult time in their life, will not have to go searching for suitable and affordable accommodation while they seek treatment," Mr Lynch said.
The project's intended operator, Maitland HealthStays, is a combined initiative of the Rotary Clubs of Maitland and is modelled after similar facilities in other major regional centres in NSW, including Coffs Harbour, Dubbo and Port Macquarie.
Cr Mitchell Griffin said it was a very exciting project.
"One where a lot of good hard work has been done by a lot of people," he said.
"This is about helping people during what might be some of the hardest times of their lives.
"Families in the decades and decades to come will be thanking Rotary for their hard work."
He said the development was in suitable area, with available parking and within walking distance from the hospital and other health facilities.
Councillors Sally Halliday and Amelia Atkinson said they fully supported the project.
"It's like a Ronald McDonald house in a way," Cr Halliday said
"I know from my own experience after the birth of my eldest in the NICU at John Hunter, around me were women who had come from Tamworth and Port Macquarie that were spending months in hospital with their babies," Cr Atkinson said.
"I look back at that and think about what an opportunity a place like this will be for women like them in our wider community and other patients and families."
Cr Bill Hackney said the facility would help families from hundreds of kilometres away.
"We are so fortunate to have a hospital like we do, but many don't and have to travel," he said.
"There is a need in the market that this will fill, and it will be a positive addition to the community."
But mayor Philip Penfold said the hard work by the Rotary Clubs of Maitland and the council meant "squat" unless the government "coughs up the funds to make it happen."
"The next step is getting the money fund this," he said.
"The media and the council need to do what they can to assist and advocate for what is most likely going to be state or federal funding for the development.
"It is an excellent site and the need is clear."
Mr Lynch, who was named Maitland's 2025 Citizen of the Year for his Rotary work and his leadership on the project, said the approval marked a major milestone for the development.
"On approval HealthStays will purchase the site for $2.25 million which is already fully funded with a settlement date of June 23," he said.
"This milestone will allow us to potentially leverage some support from our federal and state governments."
He thanked the many people who had worked tirelessly to fundraise, those who had donated to the project and those who had worked many hours and at reduced fees on the development.
