ShapEd delivers new Christchurch multi-school campus

30 April 2019

ShapEd delivers new Christchurch multi-school campus under third schools PPP

ShapEd has completed development of a brand new, state-of-the-art campus for the Ministry of Education. The facility will be home to both Shirley Boys’ and Avonside Girls’ High Schools, which were severely damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, plus a secondary-level satellite unit, Ferndale School, which provides education to students with special education needs. From the start of Term Two this year, the three schools will be co-located on one campus that includes expansive sports fields, outdoor courts, a rock climbing wall and two theatres.

The new facility has been financed, designed, constructed and will be maintained for 25 years by the ShapEd consortium, led by Morrison & Co, and consisting of Public Infrastructure Partners Fund II (PIP Fund II), Pacific Partnerships, a design and construction joint venture between CPB Contractors and Southbase Construction, ASC Architects and Spotless Facility Services. Pacific Partnerships and CPB Contractors are both members of the CIMIC Group.

ShapEd Project Director Martin Pugh says the outstanding educational facility is the result of four years’ hard work by the Ministry of Education and ShapEd.

“Two Christchurch schools that suffered a great deal in the earthquake will now educate their students in an ultra-modern, high-spec, architecturally-designed campus that has been constructed to a very high seismic standard”.

“Here, and on previous projects, we have demonstrated that New Zealand can deliver innovative, high performance educational facilities that rival the best international examples. Through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement these schools offer value-for-money over their lifespan, and can be adapted to meet specific client needs that arise in the future.”

As well as meeting the unique requirements of two single-sex secondary schools and a special education satellite school, Mr Pugh says the new facility reflects and enables contemporary educational practice.

“This brand new facility is designed to be a flexible, functional and inspirational environment for the students and staff of the three schools. It has a diversity of learning spaces, acknowledging that students learn in different ways, and provides for seamless flow between learning hubs and the external environment. In addition to teaching 2,200 students, the outdoor courts, fields and performance amenities will benefit the wider local community after school hours.”

The consortium has already delivered Matua Ngaru in Kumeu, Te Uho O Te Nikau in Flat Bush and Te Ao Marama in Flagstaff. Prior to that, Morrison & Co has built a number of other schools around New Zealand for the Ministry of Education.

“We are very pleased to have reached another milestone in our successful ongoing relationship with the Ministry of Education. Delivering these new, high-quality schools that will benefit young New Zealanders and the local communities for many years to come, is a very satisfying outcome for everyone involved.”

Looking to the future, Mr Pugh says the consortium is actively pursuing new projects.

“The Government’s recent announcement of the Construction Sector Accord shows their intent to work strategically with the construction industry to improve outcomes for New Zealand. ShapEd has demonstrated that innovative approaches to the way the government and private sector work together to build essential facilities can enable outstanding results, and we see huge ongoing opportunities in this area.”

PIP Fund II, managed by Morrison & Co, was established in 2016 after Morrison & Co’s first social infrastructure investment fund was fully invested in projects in New Zealand and Australia.

CIMIC Group is an engineering-led construction, mining, services and public private partnerships leader with a history dating back to 1899.

ENDS

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