Two developers are planning to establish temporary worker accommodation, providing digs for some of the people they’ll need to build their projects.
Queenstown Central Ltd’s (QCL) asked Queenstown’s council for permission to use three existing buildings within its development, adjoining Central Street, to house up to 15 builders as it looks to push ahead with the second stage of the shopping centre.
Two of the buildings have bedrooms, showers and toilets, while a third has a kitchen, lounge, laundry and separate loo.
Dominion Constructors initially used the accommodation for its staff working on Queenstown Central.
QCL bought the buildings from Dominion last year, and now wants to lease them to the builders they’ll require.
Gibbston Valley Winery CEO Greg Hunt (pictured) is investigating something similar to help with accommodation for builders working on his $750 million Gibbston Valley Resort project.
He tells Mountain Scene they’re looking at three relocatables which could be moved to Gibbston, a couple of which would be suitable for
couples and one more ‘‘dorm-style’’.
He’s wanting to pop them in the area where he plans to eventually establish 90 beds, specifically for staff accommodation, which is still a couple of years away.
Additionally, Hunt says Gibbston Valley’s already got leases on three houses in the Whakatipu where different members of its team are living, has just taken on a lease of an Arthurs Point property and is looking at another one, too.
To stay in business at the moment, owners and managers need to ‘‘think a bit ahead’’, he says.
‘‘Council has to as well, it’s caught them as well as everybody, and they do need to look at a council-owned site, whether they build, or they provide an opportunity for different businesses to come in and put accommodation on, they’ll need to be looking at that as well.’’
