THE GLEN Innes helipad looks set to get off the ground as design plans were handed over to Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall on Tuesday.
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Hunter New England Health (HNEH) took a further two weeks after the end of February deadline had passed to present the plans to the MP.
“We had to ensure accuracy and that all specifications were met and this took two more weeks on top of the original deadline,” Hunter New England Health Capital Works Manager Brett Evan said.
Mr Marshall said he is happy that the project can now move forward.
"I have handed the plans over to the hospital auxiliary and the council and now I look forward to the calling of tenders for local contractors to undertake the various components of the works," he said
“There will need to be lighting, the concreting, the entrance work to the hospital so that people can be wheeled directly from the hospital to the helipad, some trees will need to removed and the ground levelled.
“So there are all different components to the job and I am excited to get the plans and get this project moving.”
Mr Marshall said that getting the plans has not been an easy process.
“Unfortunately getting this project happening has been more complicated than it needed to be, particularly when the community funded the project,” he said.
“We just wanted HNEH to facilitate the construction, but that is now in the past, we have got the plans and that is a very good thing.”
Glen Innes Hospital Auxiliary Treasurer Elizabeth McCarthy said this is a positive step forward.
“It has been a long process but we now look forward to the construction of the helipad,” she said.
Hospital Auxiliary President Jan Sharman was very relieved to get the plans after a long battle with Hunter New England Health.
“I am happy and this is wonderful and it is good to be able to say to the people of Glen Innes that the project is now going full steam ahead,” she said.
Mayor Colin Price said the community will be very relieved that the plans have finally turned up.
“We hope that this will enable us to make the long awaited start on the project,” he said.
“The patience that the community has shown throughout this long process is to be commended.”
