The government has said it would either retrofit the existing Dunedin Hospital or downscale the project at the old Cadbury’s block, and it is understood the decision will be made in a matter of weeks.
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora staff have been scrambling to produce a design that comes within the newly-set fiscal envelope of $1.88 billion.
In the meantime, the inpatients building site has remained largely inactive — until yesterday, when trucks delivering new piles arrived.
HNZ head of infrastructure delivery Blake Lepper said the piles had been ordered as part of the ancillary services component of the new Dunedin hospital inpatient building on the Bow Lane block.
"The piles were ordered prior to the commencement of the options-analysis process due to the long lead-in time on the delivery of some materials."
The government made the announcement about the new options in late September.
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti’s staff deferred all questions about the piles to HNZ.
Last month, Infometrics chief economist Brad Olsen said costs could rise by $10m every three months while the new Dunedin hospital project languished.
Former Labour health minister Pete Hodgson, who helped lead the project for several years, saw the funny side.
"The prime minister said we would have a kick-arse hospital, so I guess these are the spare piles that come with it," he said.
