Chch firm wins $250m Scott Base rebuild project
A Christchurch company has been chosen to rebuild Scott Base – one of the most technically challenging building projects in the country.
Leighs Construction won the contact over four other companies who submitted proposals for the redevelopment of New Zealand’s Antarctic base.
The $250 million project, which involves replacing the existing Scott Base with three interconnected buildings, is expected to generate 450 jobs in New Zealand during the first 21⁄2 years of construction.
Leighs Construction managing director Anthony Leighs said he was struggling to put into words how excited he was to be part of the project.
All the buildings would be constructed in New Zealand and shipped to Antarctica in large modular sections.
Leighs said the exact location of where those buildings would be built had yet to be decided, but it needed to be close to a port.
He was well aware of
the challenges of working in Antarctica because the company has been building structures on the ice since 2004.
Leighs said the Scott Base redevelopment was one of the most technically challenging building projects seen in New Zealand for some years.
Antarctica NZ senior project manager Simon Shelton said getting a construction company onboard was a significant milestone for the project, putting the redevelopment ahead of schedule and making it well-positioned for success.
It was expected the project would be completed sometime between 2028 and 2031.
In 2019 the Government approved the project in principle and committed $18.5m to complete the developed design and employ a contractor.
Shelton said Antarctica NZ made a bid to the Government for funding as part of its call for ‘‘shovel ready’’ projects to kickstart the country’s economy. Work could start immediately if the funding was available, he said.
The project was progressing through the developed design phase, where the building systems were refined, the interior design developed and the logistics confirmed.
Antarctica New Zealand chief executive Sarah Williamson said Leighs Construction showed a passion for remote and challenging building projects, and brought a depth of experience with complex construction projects, having built hospitals, prisons, embassies, power stations and many other complex commercial and industrial buildings.
‘‘Identifying a preferred main contractor and working with them through the early contractor involvement (ECI) stage means the Scott Base redevelopment project is primed and ready to go.