CHRISTCHURCH CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT UNIT
Market Update
29 August 2013

For Immediate Release

- New contract details for priority anchor projects
- Processes being run in parallel to speed delivery

Construction activity in central Christchurch is set to surge over the coming year as building starts on many of the large scale public sector projects, on top of already healthy private sector development.

The Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) has today released updated timelines for anchor projects in the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan to give more certainty to business owners, investors, those in the construction industries, and the people of greater Christchurch.

“These anchor projects are large and expensive undertakings, and as people can appreciate it takes time to plan projects that will stand the test of time,” says CCDU director Warwick Isaacs.

“Coordination of so many large projects for delivery over similar timeframes is a major undertaking, but the people of Christchurch can rest assured that great progress is being made behind the scenes on delivering the anchor facilities for their new city.

“As people will see in the timelines released today, we can look forward to seeing construction getting underway on most of the anchor projects this year or next, and completion of some by 2015.”

“You only have to walk along a street like Victoria Street to see how much private sector development is taking place. All of this bodes well for the future of the central city.”

The CCDU had committed to releasing more detailed information on the anchor projects after indicative project timelines were publicised earlier this month in the Greater Christchurch Recovery Update.

It has become possible to release more detailed information after the cost sharing agreement signed recently between the Crown and the Christchurch City Council, which outlined the funding split and project leadership for central city projects. A large number of processes are occurring in parallel to speed up delivery.

The additional information released today in the accompanying table includes timings for the business cases, master planning, design and early construction works for Te Papa Ōtākaro/Avon River Precinct (including the North Frame and The Margaret Mahy Amazing Place family playground), East Frame (Public Realm), Convention Centre Precinct, Bus Interchange and the Health Precinct.

The new timelines show that business cases are underway for the Avon River Precinct (including the North Frame and The Margaret Mahy Amazing Place family playground), East Frame (Public Realm), Convention Centre Precinct, and Bus Interchange.

Master planning is underway for the Avon River Precinct (including the North Frame and The Margaret Mahy Amazing Place family playground), the East Frame (Public Realm) and the Health Precinct; and Master Planning is due to begin in the first quarter of the next year for the Convention Centre Precinct.

The design phase is underway for the Avon River Precinct (including the North Frame and The Margaret Mahy Amazing Place family playground) and the East Frame (Public Realm). It is due to start for the Health Precinct and Bus Interchange in the fourth quarter of this year, and in the first quarter of next year for the Convention Centre Precinct.

Early construction works are underway for the Avon River Precinct (including the North Frame and The Margaret Mahy Amazing Place family playground). They are due to start in the fourth quarter of this year for the Convention Centre Precinct, and in the second quarter of next year for the Health Precinct and Bus Interchange.

Timings are also provided in the accompanying table for the East and South Frames, showing main construction starting in the third quarter of 2014, and both being completed in 2015.

The Crown has contracted a series of expert suppliers to work on the anchor projects, including:

• Opus, BDP, Boffa Miskell and Architectus as lead companies working on the design of the Avon River Precinct, North and East Frames and Margaret Mahy Amazing Place; Impact Project Management as project managers; WT Partnership NZ Infrastructure Limited as quantity surveyors for the projects; and City Care on the early works. EY (Ernst and Young) is assisting with the preparation of the business case for the projects.

• Coffey Projects as project managers for the Bus Interchange; Aurecon providing engineering advice; Architectus providing architecture and urban planning advice; and PricewaterhouseCoopers to prepare the project’s business case.

• RCP as project manager for the planning of the Convention Centre Precinct; and PricewaterhouseCoopers to prepare a detailed business case for the project, along with convention centre experts Maple and Associates and The Conference Company, and Horwath on feasibility issues.

• A multi-party consortium led by BVN Donovan Hill and Jasmax to master plan the Health Precinct.

“We know the market and the people of greater Christchurch are hungry for information, and we are committed to providing updates on a regular basis now that we have the foundations such as cost sharing in place,” Mr Isaacs says.

More information on the anchor projects will be made available next month.

ENDS

© Scoop Media