Leighs Construction Announced As Lead Contractor For New Mental Health Facilities At Hillmorton

Canterbury DHB is pleased to announce Leigh’s Construction has been appointed as the lead contractor for the $81.8m project constructing two new facilities to house relocated Specialist Mental Health Services on the Hillmorton campus.

Leighs Construction has been part of previous projects for Canterbury DHB including the five-storey Outpatient Building on Oxford Terrace and the Burwood Hospital redevelopments.

This appointment is the first major development in construction on the Hillmorton campus and signals the implementation of the long term Master Plan for mental health facilities. Construction of a High and Complex Needs unit and an Integrated Family Services Centre is expected to begin in early January and both should be ready for patients in late November 2022.

Work has already begun on site, with the North Car Park expected to be completed mid-December. The first stage of water bore drilling on the main green is almost complete. This is essential to provide an efficient and environmentally friendly heating and cooling source for our new buildings through ground source heat pumps. The original project did not have a budget for Green Star certification, however, an application was made to the Ministry of Health and funding was secured and the buildings are now designed to meet the four star Green Star criteria making them environmentally friendly.

Leighs Construction Managing Director Anthony Leighs said the Leighs team were proud to be entrusted with another important Canterbury DHB health project and are very much looking forward delivering these projects which will make such a difference for people seeking treatment, care and support from Specialist Mental Health teams.

Integrated Family Services Centre

The new Integrated Family Services Centre (IFSC) will bring the Mothers & Babies and Eating Disorders services and the Child and Family Inpatient Unit from The Princess Margaret Hospital.

The Centre will house a 16-bed inpatient and day patient child, adolescent and family service, a 13 bed and 5-7 cot mothers and babies unit, along with eating disorders inpatient and outpatient services.

The IFSC unit will support a contemporary model of care in a modern, therapeutic environment. Centralised courtyards, single rooms and flexible spaces will be a massive improvement on current facilities and will bring our services in line with world class facilities for our families.

Patients will be homed in a warm, welcoming and friendly environment with spaces designed to enhance family interaction and healing.

High and Complex Needs Unit

The High and Complex Needs unit will bring the existing Seager Clinic, currently at The Princess Margaret Hospital, onto the Hillmorton campus.

This unit will provide 16 adult inpatient beds for a range of treatment options including long term and intensive rehabilitation.

Featuring a welcoming warm and homely feel, the unit is designed to enhance patient’s privacy and dignity with a range of spaces for patient, family whanau and staff use. With lots of natural light and a connection to outdoor spaces with centralised courtyards, the unit Is designed not only for our current patients, but will cater for future patient groups and changing health care needs.

Hillmorton Campus is the home of specialist mental health services for Canterbury.

Care and support is provided for people from throughout our community and our specialist services are more in demand now than ever before.

Canterbury DHB is confident that this partnership with Leighs Construction will ensure a solid future for our mental health services.

The Hillmorton campus is embarking on a journey that will see many of its buildings and facilities improved, modernised and transformed. The aim is to create an environment that makes it easier to support people’s treatment and recovery.

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