CEPD approves planned hospital at Hsinchu biomedical park

 2013/05/06 21:02:53Taipei, May 6 (CNA) The Cabinet's Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) approved a plan Monday for a 728-bed hospital to be built at Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park. The new hospital will open in 2018 at the earliest.The plan for National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei to build the facility was being submitted to the Executive Yuan, which is expected to endorse the NT$5.5 billion project soon.First-phase construction work is likely to begin next year and up to 380 beds will be ready by 2018, said a CEPD official. The starting date of phase two has yet to be decided.The hospital forms one of the major components of the biomedical science park located in Zhubei City, Hsinchu County in northern Taiwan.Another part of the park, the Biotechnology Building, was opened in May 2011 and so far approval has been given for 23 companies to set up shop in the facility, with a total investment of NT$3.9 billion.A building housing the centers of research and incubation in the park is expected to be completed by the end of the year. (By Lin Hui-chun and Jay Chen)