Media Release
Subject: Whangarei Hospital Campus Office Building And Maternity Contracts Announced
Northland DHB is pleased to announce the appointment of BDA Construction Ltd (A-line Builders) for the design build construction of a new office facility at Whangarei Hospital and the appointment of Canam Construction for the construction of the new Maternity Unit.
The new office facility will allow for the relocation and consolidation of a number of separate teams currently housed
in different facilities scattered throughout Whangarei. The new facility will house clinical and non-clinical staff.
Northland DHB currently leases 4,700m2 of mainly office space at seven locations in Whangarei at a considerable cost to
the organisation.
“Development of an on-campus building offers a number of strategic benefits”, said CEO Dr Nick Chamberlain. “Some 300
staff are currently scattered across Whangarei posing logistical problems and additional travel to and from the
hospital. It is possible that some staff will remain in other premises but they will be a small minority”.
In addition there is continuing and increasing pressure for office space at Whangarei Hospital, as buildings are
deconstructed and the site is re-developed. The deconstruction of Norton House to make way for the new Mental Health
Acute Inpatient Unit exacerbated the situation, and the deconstruction of Wards 8 and 9 to make way for the new
Maternity Unit further increases pressure on space.
“A key benefit of co-locating our staff is that we will be able to operate as a ‘whole of system’ organisation”, Dr
Chamberlain said. “We will build a modern, environmentally friendly building that will benefit our staff and patients.
The operational savings from a sale and Lease-back of the Office building will enable us to divert funds currently spent
on a variety of leases into additional health services. Our car parking and roading access plan will be dovetailed into
the overall development to ensure that we have the infrastructure needed to support the growing needs of the campus”.
The new Maternity Unit will replace the current 40 year old facility with a modern, family friendly facility. The
facility will co-locate Antenatal Clinics, Assessment Rooms, Birthing Rooms and Post-Natal beds that are currently
spread over two floors in the hospital. The new facility includes a High Dependency Unit and central staff base. Each
Birthing Room and each bedroom will have full ensuite facilities.
Tender applications are currently being sought for the construction of the Jim Carney Cancer Treatment Centre.
Construction is programmed to commence in February 2014.
A-LINE BUILDERS
BDA Construction Ltd (trading as) A-Line Builders is a family owned business established in Whangarei in 1993. A-Line
has concentrated primarily on the Commercial/Health construction sector, including both Design & Build and Tendered projects.
A-Line have completed a number of projects for Northland DHB including the refurbishment of the Special Care Baby Unit,
the new Pharmacy, the new Mortuary and the Kamo and Kerikeri Oral Health Facilities.
A-Line propose to work with an alliance partner, Euroclass Design & Build, plus a team of local sub-contractors.
The design team comprises; Woodhams Meikle Zhan Architects, Thorne Dwyer Structures Ltd, Electrical Consulting Services & MacDonald Barnett Partners Ltd (Fire Engineers).
CANAM CONSTRUCTION
Canam Construction is a New Zealand owned and managed construction company that was established in 1955. Through 58
years of operations Canam have established an enviable track record and reputation across a diverse range of facilities
and infrastructure projects throughout New Zealand and the South Pacific. Significant projects currently being completed
by the company include the new Rotorua Police station, a 400 room Hotel development in Papua New Guinea and works at
Unitec Institute of Technology.
Health projects completed by the company include a diverse range of projects for DHB’s and private sector providers.
Significant projects completed by Canam include the new Ormiston Private hospital and projects for Counties Manukau DHB,
Waitemata DHB and Southern Cross Hospital. This includes work on Laboratories, In-Patient Wards, Emergency Departments
and Mental Health Units..
Canam has worked closely with local Northland subcontractors and suppliers to secure this significant project and we are
looking forward to the successful delivery of the new maternity facilities that Whangarei and the wider community can be
proud of.
-ENDS-