Construction was due to start this month on two levels of workers’ accommodation above the prominently-situated carpark building between the Frankton cemetery and Hansen Rd.
The 32 four-bedroom apartments — equating to 119 bedrooms — were initially to house workers constructing a huge adjacent workers’ accommodation complex, which was going to be built next.
The Motor Club carpark building — completed in ’24 — was specifically designed and engineered to accommodate the extra floors.
Steve Savery, a project manager with builder CMP Construction NZ Ltd, which also has Queens-town’s initial Lakeview contract, confirms ‘‘we were meant to be starting now’’.
A suspension notice was issued last week, he says, ‘‘while [the Australian developer] looks for an adequate funder for the project’’.
‘‘The whole community was looking forward to getting some workers’ accommodation available, it really was, and it’s just disappointing that it’s not rolling out as planned.
‘‘Look, I think it will definitely happen because of the status the project’s in — it’s designed and it’s got building consent, it’s got resource consent.’’
So could the whole thing be put up for sale?
‘‘They could do, you know, all sorts of options are out there at the moment, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens.’’
Eli Shellim, Sydney-based director of development company No.1 Hansen Road, has been approached for comment.
In the past he’s variously indicated the first stage, on top of the carpark building, would start in October ’24 and then in June last year.
