$70m makeover for Otago Polytech

Otago Polytechnic chief operating officer Philip Cullen. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Otago Polytechnic chief operating officer Philip Cullen. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

Otago Polytechnic will spend at least $70 million on building projects over the next seven years, the Otago Daily Times has learned.

The rebuild's price tag includes a $20 million student residence project announced in August, as well as $50 million to $60 million to be spent on other construction projects across the polytech's campus.

Polytech chief operating officer Philip Cullen said the project was still in its planning stage and ''nothing has been finalised'', but the broad strokes of the plan had been outlined.

Six buildings across the campus are expected to be affected, including some that will be refurbished, others that might be knocked down, and others entirely new.

''[There will be] new buildings, because some buildings, like our arts building, are simply not worth refurbishing,'' Mr Cullen said.

The polytech was also aiming to extricate itself from some of its leased properties, which were set to cost the polytech more than $1 million in rent next year.

The $1 million figure includes rent for Aoraki Polytechnic facilities that Otago will absorb in its takeover of Aoraki's Dunedin courses next year.

Rent costs were expected to continue rising substantially with each lease renewal, Mr Cullen said.

''Some of our leases are quite strange ... seven-year leases,'' he said.

''You might have the same lease costs for seven years, and at the end of seven years, it jumps a lot. We have to weigh up those future lease costs.''

Because of the timing of leases, among other factors, Mr Cullen said the polytech would not expect to exit all its leased buildings. But reducing leased space was one of the goals of the rebuild, he said.

Ideally, the redevelopment would also see the polytechnic's campus consolidated on Anzac Ave and Forth St, he said.

''The other thing is we have some schools that are split over sites at the moment - we'd look to consolidate all schools on single sites.''

Environmental sustainability would also be a major focus, he said.

The polytech would be looking at making any new buildings ''zero energy'' - buildings with no net energy consumption.

The start date for construction was yet to be determined, but Mr Cullen said ''there may be some construction in 2017 ... if I was to make a best guess''.

More details about the rebuild, along with a plan of action for the construction, would be released in due course, he said.

carla.green@odt.co.nz

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