800 jobs with building surge

Queenstown is in expansion mode, with $250 million of construction under way or scheduled to start in the next 18 months.

This was expected to create up to 800 permanent jobs outside of the construction industry, Colliers International director John Scobie told a gathering in Queenstown yesterday morning.

‘‘There’s about $450m of possible construction once you add it all together,’’ he said.

Presenting the organisation’s annual market overview for the region, he said about $200m of the confirmed work was happening in the Frankton area. It included:

The recently completed retail development The Landing with 25 tenants

A recreation precinct at Remarkables Park including Kart City and a dry slope ski park

The $25m Ramada Hotel Remarkables Park

The relocated $55m Wakatipu High School scheduled to open in 2018

Shotover Park development including Pak’n Save and Mitre 10 Mega

Five Mile development including Countdown, Briscoes and Rebel Sport

Queenstown Central commercial, retail and residential develop-

at ment between Five Mile and Shotover Park

In the Queenstown town centre, there was a proposed $70m to $80m convention centre.

Scobie predicted that with low interest rates expected to continue in the foreseeable future, the expansion would continue at the same level for up to three years.

Key market drivers included tourism growth, he said.

Queenstown Airport was the fastest growing airport in the country, the Remarkables Ski Area was in the middle of a $40m development and occupancy rates in the accommodation sector had increased 10 per cent in the past year to 74.9 per cent.