PRESS RELEASE
Orewa, 26th February 2007.
Available for immediate publication.

Council lets Contract for Smaller Extension

The Rodney District Council on Thursday voted to accept a tender that could see an optimised extension to its Centreway Road headquarters completed by early 2008.

The $10.7 million contract was awarded to Watts and Hughes Construction, the company presently building the Whangaparaoa College extensions. Council spokesman Mike Isle says Watts and Hughes’ willingness to use local sub-contractors and their experience in this type of construction was a big factor in their being awarded the contract.

The need for an expansion to the Centreway headquarters is not new. љCouncil’s Director of Assets and Facilities, Paul Utting, who is managing the project through its tender and construction phases, says that the existing building reached capacity several years ago.

Since then additional accommodation had been leased at several sites throughout the Hibiscus Coast.љ Most recently, additional costs had been incurred with the purchase of portable accommodation units which are currently housing approximately 100 staff at Centreway Road.љ

The only major addition to the building since the main offices were constructed in 1974 has been the construction of an expanded public service area.

Mr Utting says the new extension allows us to move out of the temporary and leased accommodation, improve working conditions and provide for future growth.љ The estimated construction costs for an initial larger design had reached as high as $16 million.љ He acknowledges that while there were “practical reasons” for a much larger building, the proposed Silverdale North development and the prospect of council moving its headquarters there in the future had refocused the design to a smaller and cheaper accommodation solution for the Centreway Road site.

“If and when the Council moves, the new building can be easily converted to other uses.љ We believe the new and existing buildings would be a very attractive and saleable option for offices or multi-purpose uses,” says Mr Utting.љ “However, I must emphasise that this is about keeping our options open for the future.љ The Council has not made any decision to move all or part of its operation from the Centreway Road site.”

He said a working panel of councillors comprising Councillors Bill Smith, Penny Webster and Colin MacGillivray worked with Council officers to produce the optimised design that resulted in the tender that was much lower than the budget provision.

Construction work is scheduled to begin within weeks.

ENDS

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