No more delays: Kmart opening to public today

QUEENSTOWN’S new Kmart, part of the $100 million first stage of the Queenstown Central retail development on the Frankton Flats, will open this morning at 8am after a twoweek delay due to construction problems.

Kmart caused confusion yesterday afternoon when it announced on a social media post the store’s opening would be delayed once again.

A spokeswoman for the company later clarified that the post meant to say the store would be opening today as planned, but its formal instore celebration day activities and giveaways would take place next Friday.

Most of the first stage of the project, which would include about 45 tenants spread across four buildings, was meant to open on October 4.

Dominion Constructors Ltd was issued with a ‘‘Notice to Fix’’ by the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) in late August after a worker cut through steel bars connecting the concrete wall panels and foundations of buildings on the site.

Earlier this week, the Otago Daily

reported the building could not fully open until a Certificate of Public Use (CPU) was issued — that certificate was contingent on further safety checks at the site yesterday after an initial inspection on Monday.

Council communications adviser Campbell Weal said QLDC building inspectors were awaiting a minor engineering detail to be clarified before the CPU could be issued after the inspection yesterday.

He said once confirmed they would be able to issue the CPU after 5pm last night.

Despite this, a Kmart spokeswoman said the company already had confirmation the building was safe to use, about 2.30pm yesterday.