Almost 177,000cu m of earth on 5ha of land in Frankton has been removed in the last two months, paving the way for stage two of the town centre at Frankton.
On completion, the development will more than double the size of the existing centre, which houses retail outlets including a large retailer, a bank, supermarket and other national chains.
The physical work had been carried out by Fulton Hogan with an average of one 500-tonne dump truck carting fill along the new Eastern Access Rd to Queenstown Airport's runway end safety area - which is also under construction - every two minutes.
Remarkables Park Ltd director Alastair Porter said yesterday five large-format stores, ranging from 1500sq m to 6000sq m, were planned for the site, with 1000 car-parking spaces and staff and tertiary student accommodation.
The student and staff accommodation was planned to provide an "outer perimeter" on the eastern boundary of the Town Centre expansion area, designed to cater for more tertiary students at the Southern Institute of Technology Queenstown campus and employment growth.
"We expect we will need accommodation for at least 500 tertiary students and staff working at Remarkables Park within three to four years.
"This will include staff housing for future approved public facilities such as the retirement village, hospital and other public amenities."
SIT opened its Queenstown campus in February last year with 87 students.
By October last year, enrolments had reached 217, signalling the area was fast becoming an education destination.
The institute also increased its courses from two full-time ones last year to seven this year.
SIT Queenstown campus manager Pam Hulls said about 60 beds within the development were targeted at students.
She anticipated those would be full by the time the development was completed, which could be as soon as next year.
