The University of Otago has announced work on a five-storey $50 million animal research centre to be built in Great King St will begin today.
The university confirmed the location after a copy of a resource consent application for the facility was supplied to the Otago Daily Times by a University of Otago student organisation opposed to the project.
The location of the centre was not disclosed when the university announced plans to build it in May because of opposition to animal-based research.
The 3936sqm building, to be used to conduct tests on animals for research in the health and biomedical fields, will be built beside the university's School of Physiotherapy building at 303, 309 and 315 Great King St.
At present, the site is a car park.
The resource consent application also reveals the former Centre for Science Communication building at 7 Malcolm St will be demolished to make way for the facility.
The university has been widely criticised by animal welfare groups in New Zealand since it announced plans to build the facility.
Otago Student Animal Legal Defence Fund co-president Rachel Stedman said the group obtained the consent application from the Dunedin City Council.
"The whole level of secrecy raises the most suspicion.
"Generally, when the university makes a large development like this the whole thing isn't planned in secret.
"The site of the project isn't hidden until the last minute,'' Ms Stedman said.
The group claimed the facility breached the Animal Welfare Act 1999, which required approved facilities to make efforts to reduce the number of animals used, refine techniques used and replace animals with alternative scientific methods, she said.
Last week, the group held a panel discussion on the research facility, which was attended by university staff, animal research scientists and a member of the New Zealand antivivisection group.
Invitations to the discussion sent to university departments engaged in animal research were declined or ignored, she said.
A university spokeswoman said the facility did not break the law.
"The claim that the research support facility appears to breach the law is untrue.
"Also, there is no secrecy behind the justification for the facility.''
The facility is scheduled for completion in February 2018.
