Ramsay Health Care has scaled back its proposed redevelopment of Lake Macquarie Private Hospital, planning documents reveal.
Last year, the multinational organisation - worth more than $9 billion - originally proposed a $120 million 10-storey tower upgrade to the Gateshead hospital, and even successfully lobbied Lake Macquarie City Council to lift its building height controls.
But the health giant recently submitted plans to the state government that "reduced scale and intensity" of the project, cutting back to a $45 million six-storey development.
"This application is of a similar design and configuration, however is ultimately of a reduced scale and intensity," planning documents stated.
"The subject proposal represents a smaller scale version of the lodged proposal, and the intention is that it would be constructed as the first stage of the broader hospital expansion being sought."
The Newcastle Herald asked Ramsay Health Care why the development had been scaled back.
A spokesperson said the company's 10-storey application was still active, and it was possible the final four storeys would be added later, which would be a plant room for services such as electrics, water supply and heating.
"At a later date, Ramsay Health Care may pursue further development of the tower to nine floors, as per its previous development application," the spokesperson said.
The six-storey development will include an additional 40 inpatient beds, a ground floor medical imaging suite, and a new hospital drop-off and pick-up on Casey Street, along with 20 parking spaces.
The proposed extension will be constructed to the north of the existing private hospital that is now occupied by low-density residential development.
"If approved, the new tower will provide more space for the hospital to continue to provide leading health care to residents of the Hunter Region and surrounding areas," the spokesperson said.
The private hospital has 187 beds.
Planning documents reveal that if all 10 storeys were completed the hospital would have 223 inpatient beds, nine operating theatres, two catheter laboratories, a vascular laboratory, 14 oncology chairs, 23 recovery beds and 17 chairs in its day surgery admission unit.
The original submission estimated the hospital expansion would create 800 to 1000 direct and flow-on jobs during construction, with 200 roles once completed.
Figures for the scaled-back development have not been revealed.
The hospital has been operating for more than 50 years, opening in 1973 with 36 beds, and has about 15,000 emergency presentations a year.
In 1986 the hospital introduced cardio-vascular services, incorporating an angiography suite.
"Lake Macquarie Private Hospital has already completed the first two phases of its exciting redevelopment, including opening two new operating theatres, 130 additional car parks and a new sterilising department," a Ramsay Health Care spokesperson said.
"We look forward to being able to share more on this exciting redevelopment as plans are finalised."
Ramsay Health Care has previously said the development was expected to be finished in 2027.
