Planning is underway and a business case will be developed to improve facilities for core hospital services. This includes a new acute services block to accommodate ED, ICU, theatre and peri-operative services, plus supporting services and several new wards. It will be built to a seismic importance Level 4 rating so that acute services can continue to be provided uninterrupted following a major earthquake. The project also includes completely stripping and reconfiguring the current main hospital building (the clinical services block) .Once funding is approved construction is expected to take seven years to complete.