Hon Gerry Brownlee
Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery

17 October 2013

Anchor Projects gathering momentum

Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says a raft of significant steps made across the city’s anchor projects in recent weeks will add to the momentum of other developments in Christchurch.

“Progress on the Justice and Emergency Services Precinct has been good, with the Christchurch Central Development Unit now having agreements in place for 91 per cent of the total land required for the complex,” Mr Brownlee says.

“CCDU expects to have finalised all land purchases soon and will have the site clear and ready for construction to begin in February. Demolition of the last few buildings on the site is scheduled to get underway in the coming weeks.

“Beyond the progress on the Justice and Emergency Services Precinct, we’re pushing ahead with the central Christchurch Retail Precinct, the Metro Sports Facility, the Bus Interchange, and the Avon River Precinct, within which is the Margaret Mahy Amazing Place playground.

“There has also been a great response to the calls for a Convention Centre operator, with numerous international firms indicating an interest,” Mr Brownlee says.

The chosen Convention Centre operator will advise the Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) and work with the existing preferred consortia on the master planning and development of the Convention Centre Precinct, and may also carry through to operate the finished centre.

Expressions of Interests (EOI) from potential operators are being sought via GETS (the Government Electronic Tenders Service) and applicants have until 30 October to indicate an interest.

“What we’ve seen in the past two weeks is exactly the sort interest we have been hoping for as the Convention Centre Precinct will be one of the jewels in Christchurch’s crown,” Mr Brownlee says.

In the Retail Precinct, architectural and urban design services are being sought to enable the Crown to work with private developers and produce a plan that ensures the most desirable shopping experience. This initiative has been encouraged by many of the parties in the Retail Precinct.

CCDU recently appointed global consultancy firm Davis Langdon to manage the Project Management and Quantity Surveying services for the Metro Sports Facility. Key stakeholders and other interested parties have been meeting the Metro Sports Facility project team and hearing about the next steps.

Multi-Disciplinary Design Consultancy Services are now being called for the Bus Interchange, which neighbours the Justice and Emergency Services Precinct. Main construction will begin in the third quarter of next year and the facility will be open by the middle of 2015. Tenders for demolition of the old Christchurch City Council building on Tuam Street are currently being assessed.

Across the entire realm of anchor projects, Insurance Broker Services are also being sought with the aim of ensuring all insurance programmes are managed efficiently and effectively.

Mr Brownlee says most people will now be aware of the design concepts the CCDU have released on the next stages of the Avon River Precinct.

“We have had some very positive feedback so far, and this week the CCDU has appointed a shortlist of seven contractors approved to tender for the nine construction contracts on the Avon River Precinct over the next year.

“An extremely popular project within the Avon River Precinct is the Margaret Mahy Amazing Place playground.

“An interactive exhibition container, set up by the CCDU, is currently based on Gloucester Street and displays the work carried out by Canterbury school children for the Amazing Place playground and project competitions.

“In its first week around 5000 people visited the container, which illustrates the level of excitement around the CBD redesign.”

The Margaret Mahy Amazing Place’s designers believe it will be one of the largest playgrounds in the world; it is due to be completed by the end of 2014. Tenders are currently being sought through GETS for contractors to design, manufacture and install the specialised playground equipment that will be needed.

“Every one of these steps we’re taking is redeveloping Christchurch into the best little city in the world, and this really is just the beginning,” Mr Brownlee says.

“It is an exciting time to be part of the Christchurch community.”

For more information on the CBD rebuild and the anchor projects visit www.ccdu.govt.nz

For an interactive map showing the CBD blueprint, progress on precincts and anchor projects, and private property development in the central city, visit www.progressmap.ccdu.govt.nz/

ENDS

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