Retirement village progress

George Berry
George Berry
Another step has been taken towards building Oamaru's first retirement village.

Contractors have been asked if they are interested in tendering for the project, though it does not mean the Waitaki District Health Services Ltd project is definitely going ahead.

The Waitaki District Council-owned company, which owns and operates Oamaru Hospital and provides health services in the Waitaki district, announced in July 2013 it was looking at building the Observatory Village retirement complex on ''Hospital Hill'' overlooking Oamaru.

At that time it was estimated to cost more than $20 million and generate up to 70 jobs.

Since then, Waitaki District Health Services Ltd has negotiated an option on the site with the council and is getting close to completing a business case, which will determine whether it is economically viable.

Now the company is calling for registrations of interests from qualified and experienced contractors for the construction of stage 1, which is in the detailed design phase at present.

Company chairman George Berry said this week this did not mean a decision had been made to build it.

''It is part of the pre-contract and decision-making process,'' he said.

The company was still preparing a business case for the village, which it would present to the council as its shareholder.

The next decision would be whether to ask preferred contractors to price the first stage.

Once that was received, the company would then have to decide whether it was feasible to proceed, Mr Berry said.

Oamaru does not have a full-range-care retirement village, people having to move out of the district, to places such as Mosgiel, Timaru or further afield, if they want to live in one.

david.bruce@odt.co.nz

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