Whangārei Hospital Redevelopment Advances with Major Car Park Expansion

Minister Brown emphasised that reliable and accessible parking is a fundamental part of hospital infrastructure, ensuring patients, whānau, and staff can access essential health services without disruption.

A significant milestone has been achieved in the transformation of Whangārei Hospital, with the Government marking the official start of construction on a major new car parking development. Health Minister Simeon Brown announced the beginning of works on Car Park 14, a large-scale on-grade parking area designed to support the next phase of the hospital’s multiyear redevelopment programme, including the construction of a new acute services building and a modern child health centre.

Minister Brown emphasised that reliable and accessible parking is a fundamental part of hospital infrastructure, ensuring patients, whānau, and staff can access essential health services without disruption. As construction activity intensifies across the Whangārei Hospital campus, the expanded parking capacity will play a crucial role in keeping the facility functioning smoothly.

The new Car Park 14 will deliver 583 additional spaces, helping offset the temporary loss of more than 480 existing spaces that will be unavailable during major construction works. The Government has confirmed that the new parking area will be fully operational by May 2026, ensuring seamless access for the public and hospital staff even as redevelopment accelerates.

Minister Brown underscored that the car park build is not just a supporting project but a necessary foundation for enabling the entire redevelopment effort. Without expanded parking, the construction of the new acute services building could not proceed without causing significant disruption to hospital users.

Once the wider redevelopment programme is completed—particularly the child health centre—the hospital’s total parking capacity will increase from 1,415 spaces to 1,977, marking a substantial long-term improvement for the Whangārei and wider Northland communities. The upgraded car park will also feature improved wayfinding, clearer signage, and more user-friendly layout designs to ensure the experience for patients and visitors is as smooth as possible.

The Minister acknowledged the strong advocacy of Whangārei MP Hon Dr Shane Reti, who attended the sod-turning event and has been a long-standing supporter of improving health infrastructure in the region. Brown noted that car parking has been a persistent challenge for locals, and this project represents a practical and meaningful step toward addressing those concerns.

“This redevelopment is about ensuring Northlanders have access to a modern, high-quality hospital that meets the needs of a growing population,” Minister Brown said. “With work now underway on key enabling projects like Car Park 14, we are steadily laying the groundwork for an upgraded, future-proofed Whangārei Hospital.”

He added that progress across the campus will continue throughout the coming months, with further visible construction activity expected as the acute services building project advances.