The Victorian Health Building Authority has announced The Exemplar Health consortium as the preferred bidder to enter exclusive contract negotiations with the Victorian Government.

The new Melton Hospital will be Victoria's first fully electric hospital. It will treat more than 130,000 patient episodes each year and include a 24-hour emergency department, an intensive care unit, at least 274 beds, maternity and neonatal services, mental health services, radiology services, ambulatory care, a new education and training hub for doctors and nurses in Melbourne's west.

The Exemplar Health consortium includes:

• Capella Capital as sponsor and investor
• Lendlease Infrastructure Investments and Invesis as investors
• Lendlease as builder
• Honeywell and Compass Group as facilities and maintenance managers.

The AU$900 million (US$ 605 million) Melton Hospital project involves designing, constructing, financing, and maintaining the facility over 25 years. Operated by Western Health, the hospital will be a public institution. Preparatory work for construction at the Cobblebank site will begin later this year after the contract is awarded, transitioning the project from planning to delivery. The hospital's construction is expected to be completed by 2029.