The planned multi-million rand expansion of a Nelson Mandela Bay hospital is being delayed while the facility waits for planning clearance from the municipality.

Network Healthcare Holdings announced earlier this year that its 300-bed Netcare Greenacres Hospital was to be upgraded.

The first of the upgrades, to be carried out at the trauma unit, was scheduled to begin in July, while expansion was also to take place at the high-care unit and the cardiac centre, where the number of beds was to be doubled, the company said.

But Netcare area general manager Gloria Murison said this week the work had not yet started.

"We have experienced delays in the approval process of our plans from the municipality," Murison said.

"As a result of this, we can possibly only start with preparations for the big building later this year. We do hope, however, that the accident and emergency unit upgrade will be completed before the holiday season."

A response from the municipality on the reasons for the delay had not been received at the time of going to press.