The development application for the public hospital's almost $80 million redevelopment is set to be lodged next month.

Its acting general manager, Debbie Bickerton, yesterday announced the approaching milestone.

"The new building design is progressing well with schematic design being finalised and the application for development approval to be submitted during August 2012," she said.

NSW Health is keen on an early 2013 start to the project and a late 2014 finish.

The $79.8 million redevelopment is made up of $72.7 million from the state government and $7.1 million from the Commonwealth's Health and Hospital Fund.

It will deliver a two-storey building to the north of the hospital's existing emergency department.

Concept plans unveiled by NSW Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner this year show that the ground floor will include a series of new operating theatres, a sterilising unit and a day surgery unit.

It will also feature a refurbished main entrance and renal dialysis unit.

The first floor will house a new in-patient ward and birthing suite for maternity services.

New car parks are also on the concept plans for stage one and stage two of the redevelopment, to be built simultaneously.

Yesterday Ms Bickerton confirmed that the project could not get underway without “early works”, including the demolition of old buildings.

“The construction enabling works comprise a carefully-phased program of works, including demolition of the chimney stack and the old nurses’ accommodation building and reconfiguring the main public car park,” she said.

“This will clear the site for the new building so that construction can commence in early 2013.”

On Friday four contractors were invited to tender for the redevelopment early works that will begin in October after the letting of a contract in late September.

The community and staff of the hospital are being assured that there will not be a reduction in car parking spaces during construction.

Ms Bickerton has promised to inform the public of “any impacts to access and car parking”.

In recent months services and equipment have been shuffled as a precursor to the redevelopment.

“Linen services are now operating a distribution service off site,” Ms Bickerton said.

“The old linen service will be decommissioned in the next two months.

“Medical records storage has been relocated off site and the stores building now incorporates the clean linen store.

“Staff continue to meet regularly to progress the changes to operational procedures as a result of the redevelopment.”