He has prepared a notice of motion for the March 20, 2024 council meeting in an effort to lobby NSW Health to amend its plans.

In the motion, he has called on Bathurst Regional Council to make "urgent representations" to NSW Health for a proper car park to be built before work commences on the $200 million upgrade of the hospital.

He also wants the council to fight to retain the Panorama Clinic, a mental health facility, in Bathurst while the construction occurs, and has asked the council to contact the Health Minister and the Mental Health NSW Minister about the two issues.

Cr Aubin said it's important for the council to champion this issue for the community by going to NSW Health and the relevant ministers directly to convey the concerns about the project.

"There will have to be answers given because, if council sends a document to the Minister for Health, we have to get an answer," he said.

"... My biggest fear from the get-go of this project was what are they doing with parking, and I get asked that every single day.

"People are genuinely concerned that they won't have any way to park at the hospital."

Parking in and around the hospital grounds has been under scrutiny for years, with staff and visitors to the facility already struggling to find a spot to park.

Cr Aubin said the redevelopment plans, which he labelled as "flawed", actually remove parking spaces from the grounds, and he doubts additional on-street parking - one of the ideas being investigated - will make up for it.

"They've already, without adding any parking at all, they have already taken away 43 parks from the exit on Mitre Street," he said.

"They have already taken those away and put in a community garden.

"So, there's 306 car parks on the site right now. They've taken 43 away, no plans for putting any more into the the hospital grounds itself, and a couple of very frivolous plans of drawing lines on the road down Mitre Street to put 45 degree angle parking in.

"I mean, honestly, they (NSW Health) are kidding themselves."

That's why he wants a car park to not only be added to the plans, but for one to be built prior to any building works.

"Take $10 million out of their budget, do it properly, or get another whatever it is it will take to build a car park and build it first, because this hospital, while it's going under construction for two years, you are not going to be able to park in those hospital grounds," Cr Aubin said.

NSW Health has provided little detail on its plans for additional parking to support the expansion of the hospital, however, it has promised it will improve parking.

"Improved car parking for the redevelopment is being planned to support the new main entry on Mitre Street, the existing entry and emergency department, while also enabling the provision of greenspace for the benefit of patients, staff and the community," it said in a statement.

"Traffic and parking design is being informed by factors including demand, clinical and workforce planning and staff and community consultation, alongside statutory planning requirements."

There are also concerns about the possibility of Panorama Clinic moving to Orange over the two-year construction period.

NSW Health hasn't confirmed the move, but has said: "If temporary changes are required to the way we deliver services, including the Panorama Clinic, they will be determined after thorough planning and consultation is completed."

Cr Aubin said the facility needs to remain in Bathurst so people can continue to access mental health facilities in their community.

"You've got people in Bathurst who will have nowhere to go," he said.

"People with mental issues, which can be very, very severe, will have nowhere to go except jump in a car and drive to Orange."

If the clinic cannot operate on the hospital grounds during the construction period, then he said another building needs to be found in Bathurst.

"I don't care if it's not at the hospital, but find a location somewhere that they can use for the clinic whilst the hospital is undergoing this refurbishment," Cr Aubin said.

"... We really need to make sure that that facility stays in Bathurst whilst the hospital is under construction."