The contract, which was announced on Monday, also provides a win for the wider community with the company set to employ local workers, according to Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall.

“Not only do we get a first class product here in terms of this redevelopment but we also keep as much of that $60 million that’s involved in that redevelopment in our local community,” he said.

Mr Marshall said the announcement is a major milestone and is setting in motion the plans to create a world-class facility in Armidale.

“This is a tremendous day for the Armidale community and the entire Northern Tablelands,” he said.

The upgraded facility will include a new emergency department, intensive care unit, a day surgery and new operating theatres.

“We currently only have two operating theatres here at Armidale hospital, we will have four brand new operating theatres here with the redevelopment which will help address some of the backlog issues,” Mr Marshall said.

Richard Crookes Construction has delivered a large number of major infrastructure works across the region.

NSW Health General Manager for the Tablelands Sector Wendy Mulligan said she hoped the development would save people from having to travel to major centres for medical treatment through the new TeleHealth system which will be extended in the new building.

Project Design Manager,Chris Petrov, said the team was really looking forward to giving Armidale a new facility.

“This project is being run out of our Tamworth office and we’ll have an onsite crew here managing,” he said. “Richard Crookes has delivered Parks hospital, we’ve delivered Narrabri hospital, we’ve just finished two or three stages at Tamworth hospital and now we’re moving onto here.”

The siteworks are set to be completed by mid October with construction estimated to be completed by late 2017.