Northern Beaches Hospital to open by 2018

Construction on Sydney's Northern Beaches Hospital at Frenchs Forest will begin next year.

NSW Planning Minister Pru Goward says the first new Sydney hospital in 20 years will open in 2018.

The 400-plus bed hospital will include an emergency department and mental health, maternity, pediatric, surgical services and ambulatory care services, Ms Goward said in a statement on Monday.

"The Northern Beaches Hospital is the first major investment in health infrastructure on the northern beaches for decades.

"It is long overdue but this decision clears the way for the first stages of work to start," said Ms Goward.

The last major hospital to be built in Sydney was Westmead Children's Hospital in 1995.

The planning approval now depends on finalising a biodiversity offset package; retaining existing vegetation; and a noise and traffic impact statement.