A construction boom at the University of Otago’s campuses is set to create more than 1000 jobs this year alone, the institution says.
The tertiary body has eight major projects on its books at present, together worth $268 million, as part of its wider priority development plan.
That includes spending $126 million on the School of Dentistry’s new clinical services building in Great King St, $56 million on a three-stage redevelopment of the science precinct, and $49.8 million on a new research support facility.
Another $17.67 million was being spent on the redevelopment of the Commerce Building, $8 million on campus landscaping, and $5.3 million on new teaching, learning and research space at the Portobello Marine Laboratory.
The former Wickliffe Press building has also been demolished to make way for more campus car parking, and this has cost $2.75 million. The Dunedin Study’s new purpose-built building which cost $2.6 million, opened yesterday.
University chief operating officer Stephen Willis said the entire priority plan — comprising projects worth $650 million — was expected to create 5886 full-time-equivalent (FTE) jobs in construction and support industries over the next decade.
The construction boom would continue until 2028, although most of the building activity would be in the years to 2021.
And the "spike" in major projects and jobs, would occur this year, when 1343 FTE jobs would be created in 2017 alone, he said.
The jobs to be created would be split between the South Island (4641 FTEs) and North Island (1242 FTEs).
The construction and manufacturing industries would be the major beneficiaries, he said.
But the building boom would also have wider economic benefits.
"Most of the expenditure will be in the South Island, but the development plan will boost both regional economies and the national economy, by creating new jobs, incomes and business expenditure."