Elderly housing rebuilds to cost over $3m
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The timing of the demolition and rebuild of elderly housing units in Ashburton will be known once the contract is finalised.
BP Construction Limited has been selected as the preferred contractor to demolish and redevelop 16 units at Friendship Lane for the tendered price of $3,073,668 plus GST.
The council’s business support group manager, Leanne Macdonald, said the detail of the timeline for the two stage project, with eight units demolished and rebuilt at a time, is being developed.
“We will be able to share more information about the tender process once the finer details of the contract have been formally agreed by council and BP Construction Limited.
“The Friendship Lane units are of a design that no longer complied with the recent changes in Healthy Homes Legislation and so were a priority to upgrade.”
The remaining units at Friendship Lane comply with legislation and no future work is programmed in the draft long-term plan, Macdonald said.
The $3m project is being funded by a “range of streams”, including external funding, a previous property sale, and loan funding.
There are already nine vacant units at Friendship Lane, clearing the way for stage one to begin, pending funding applications and contract negotiations.
“As we refurbish vacant units in our district, we will work with any existing tenants impacted by this project to be relocated within the timeframe that is yet to be determined.”
The nine units have been vacant for some time, one since August 2021.
The 16 units are part of the council’s 102 elderly housing units, available for people over 65 years of age across six complexes spread throughout Ashburton, Methven, and Rakaia.
A recent property activity report outlined that there are 20 applications on the waiting list, with 10 people wanting single units and 10 requesting double units (three couples and seven individuals). This does not include the seven tenants at Friendship Lane.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.1% Yes
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46.9% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
Turn Wallpaper Scraps into Beautiful Blossoms
These blossoms made from Resene wallpaper left over after decorating will mean your décor will be blooming gorgeous, no matter the season. Find out how to create your own wallpaper flowers with these easy step by step instructions.
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