Work on the new Dunedin hospital inpatient building project has got off the ground as installation of vertical structural steel begins.

The steel structure erected yesterday reaches about three and a-half storeys of the building’s eventual 11-storey height.

About 550 large truckloads of steel, totalling about 11,000 tonnes, will be transported to the site as construction progresses.

Much of the steel has been cast and rolled in New Zealand and fabricated by businesses in Christchurch and Auckland.

Project director for the inpatient building Tony Lloyd said installation of the steel was a significant milestone for the project.

‘‘Until now, much of the work has been at ground level — out of public view.

‘‘The installation of the first structural steel represents the beginning of the hospital taking shape above ground, and will eventually give people their first real sense of the scale of what is being built.’’

The first piece of vertical steel, a three-storey column, is lifted into place on the new Dunedin hospital inpatient site yesterday morning. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN

Major work on the former Cadbury factory site had been achieved by CPB contractors, with foundations completed, clearing the way for vertical construction to begin.

It would take an estimated 330,000 work hours to fabricate the steel.

Eventually, more than 15,200 key pieces of steel would be erected as part of the build.

The first tower crane was already busy at work and the second and third were expected to be installed over the coming weeks.

The towers would lift the structural steel and major building components into place.

‘‘Over the coming months, people will see the building grow higher as the structure starts to take shape across the site,’’ Mr Lloyd said.

The first piece of vertical steel, a three storey column, was lifted into place on the Dunedin Hospital inpatient site yesterday morning. Photo: Gerard O'Brien

At 72,000sq m, the inpatient building is the largest component of the new hospital project.

Construction of the neighbouring outpatient building is expected to be completed soon, and to open later this year.

An overhead bridge across St Andrew St will link the two buildings.

The new inpatient facility will be home to an expanded emergency department, operating theatre suite, short-stay surgical unit, intensive care unit and high-dependency beds, as well as inpatient wards.

— Allied Media