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Old Bega Hospital Redevelopment: Accessibility Compliance & Heritage Building Access Solutions
Access compliance for the adaptive reuse of a heritage-listed hospital building as a community and cultural centre.
The Challenge
The Old Bega Hospital was built in 1888. After a fire in 2004, it was repurposed as a community building.
Because the building is heritage-listed, its structure and layout made it hard to meet modern accessibility standards using standard design methods.
The access strategy needed to fit the building’s heritage features, since standard solutions could have changed its character.
AI Consultancy’s Approach
AI Consultancy supported the project with heritage building access consulting, from design review to construction and completion.
- Design reviewWe reviewed the access design documents to find compliance issues and create practical solutions that suited the existing building.
- Performance SolutionsWhen the building’s heritage and structure made standard compliance difficult, AI Consultancy developed BCA Performance Solutions for projects in NSW to meet the requirements. We tailored our solutions to the building’s unique features instead of using standard accessibility measures that did not fit the structure.
- Ongoing project supportAI Consultancy answered RFIs and gave access advice throughout the project. By using staged approvals and inspections, we solved accessibility issues during construction instead of waiting until the end.
- CompletionAfter construction inspections, we issued an Access Completion Statement when the project was finished.
Design review → Performance Solutions → RFI support → Construction inspection → Completion
Technical Compliance Framework
The access assessment considered the requirements applicable to the redevelopment, including:
- Building Code of Australia (BCA) 2022, Volume One, including Part D4 and Clauses F4D5, F4D6, F4D7 and F4D12
- AS 1428.1-2009
- AS 1428.4.1-2009
- AS 2890.6-2009
- Disability (Access to Premises—Buildings) Standards 2010
These requirements, set out under AS 1428.1 and the National Construction Code (NCC), guided the work of our access consultants, who carried out detailed access reviews and developed tailored Performance Solutions to achieve compliance for the building.
Accessibility Within a Heritage Building
The hospital, built in 1888, had already changed a lot before becoming a community facility. Because of its structure and heritage value, accessibility solutions had to match the building’s features instead of using a new-build approach.
For Old Bega Hospital, we needed practical project-specific Heritage Building Access Solutions that kept the building available for community use.
Outcome
We achieved access compliance and issued an Access Completion Statement when the project was finished.
The project was also recognised, winning the Built Conservation and Judges’ Choice awards at the 2025 National Trust (NSW) Heritage Awards and a heritage honour at the 2026 Australian Institute of Architects NSW Regional Architecture Awards.
This approach led to:
- Resolving issues during design, which reduced the need for expensive fixes later.
- Creating accessibility solutions tailored to the building’s unique constraints.
- Verifying compliance on site instead of relying only on paperwork.
- Delivering a valuable community outcome by repurposing the former hospital building.
Accessibility Compliance for Heritage and Community Buildings
AI Consultancy offers Heritage Building Accessibility and Disability Access consulting services in NSW for heritage, community, and other existing buildings. Our services include access design reviews, Performance Solutions, inspections, and completion statements.
Help Your Heritage Building Serve Its Next Purpose
We provide access reviews and Performance Solutions for heritage and community projects where standard compliance methods may not suit the existing building.
Discuss Your Project →Frequently Asked Questions
Generally, yes. Heritage listing doesn’t create an automatic exemption. New work must meet the BCA access provisions, and the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010 can require upgrades to the path of travel. The heritage significance of the building is considered, but the usual approach is to find a compliant solution that respects the fabric, rather than to avoid compliance.
By using Performance Solutions tailored to the building instead of standard Deemed-to-Satisfy measures. A Performance Solution shows how a design meets the relevant NCC Performance Requirements in a way that suits the existing structure. At the Old Bega Hospital, this approach delivered access compliance while preserving the character of the 1888 building.
Yes. Adaptive reuse often changes how a building is used, which brings current access requirements into play. With early design review and project-specific Performance Solutions, the former Old Bega Hospital was repurposed as a community and cultural centre and achieved access compliance, confirmed with an Access Completion Statement.
The main ones are:
- the BCA/NCC access provisions in Part D4 and the accessible sanitary provisions in Part F4
- AS 1428.1 for design for access and mobility
- AS 1428.4.1 for tactile ground surface indicators
- AS 2890.6 for accessible car parking
- the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010
Which clauses apply depends on the building classification and the scope of work.
At the design stage, before heritage and design decisions are fixed. Heritage constraints narrow the options, so early review leaves time to develop Performance Solutions. On the Old Bega Hospital, staged approvals and inspections meant access issues were resolved during design and construction rather than at the end, reducing the need for expensive fixes.
It’s a statement issued by the access consultant at the end of a project, confirming that the access provisions and any Performance Solutions have been built as designed. It’s based on construction inspections, so compliance is verified on site rather than relying only on drawings and paperwork. It typically supports the certifier’s final approval.
Send the project address, the heritage listing details, a short description of the proposed work or new use, the current design stage and any drawings you have. If a conservation management plan exists, include that too. We’ll review the scope and come back with a fee proposal covering the access services your project needs, from design review through to completion.
