Additional temporary accommodation for Christchurch

The Government has concluded an agreement with Workotel to provide accommodation for an additional 50 rebuild workers at the former Riccarton Holiday Park, Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“Christchurch is going to require temporary accommodation villages to accommodate thousands of additional workers needed for the rebuild. If we don’t provide this sort of temporary housing we risk slowing the recovery through a shortage of workers or putting too much pressure on the already constrained housing market,” Dr Smith says.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment sought requests for proposals for temporary worker accommodation in March. Eleven responses were received. A contract was concluded this week with Workotel for the purchase of 37 government-owned portable temporary accommodation units.

“The purchase price is commercially sensitive but the cost of redeveloping the Riccarton Holiday Park site is several million. The 20 one bedroom and 17 two bedroom units are to be re-located to the site this month and ready for use by the end of July. The units will be part of a broader redevelopment of the site for 200 rebuild workers and 100 displaced residents.

“These units were purchased by government in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes when it was feared there would be a high need for re-locatable housing for emergency use. This contingency did not eventuate but the units will now be put to good use supporting worker accommodation.

“This worker accommodation initiative is another step by the Government to support Christchurch’s housing challenge arising from the earthquakes. It complements the massive Housing New Zealand programme to build 700 new homes and make substantive repairs to a further 5000.

“The housing challenge in Christchurch for workers, families displaced while their homes are rebuilt, as well as the replacement homes for those damaged beyond repair is going to require a huge effort by both government and the private sector. This announcement is no silver bullet but a further step.”

The Minister also announced a two year extension to 2016 for the temporary accommodation villages at Linwood Park, Rawhiti Domain and Kaiapoi Domain, following authorisation from local councils. A fourth village at Rangers Park is currently under construction and the first of its 40 homes should be ready for occupation in September.

The village units, which provide temporary accommodation for up to 83 families, were opened from July 2011 and had an original lifespan of two years.

“These temporary villages have proved a lifeline for more than 350 households transitioning through them while their homes are rebuilt. It is a successful intervention that needs to be maintained to support Christchurch through the residential rebuild phase,” says Dr Smith.