Source: New Zealand Government
The erection of three tower cranes at the New Dunedin Hospital’s inpatient building site marks a major milestone as construction moves into its next phase, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
“The Government is committed to delivering the world-class hospital that Dunedin, Otago, and Southland deserve, and it’s great to see visible progress being made on site,” Mr Brown says.
“With three tower cranes now being erected, the project is transitioning from foundation works into the main vertical construction phase. This is a significant step forward in the delivery of New Zealand’s largest health infrastructure project.”
Over the past two months, work has focused on installing the crane bases required to support the next stage of construction. With that work now complete, installation of the cranes is underway.
“These cranes will play a critical role over the next two and a half years, lifting the heavy structural steel and major building components needed to construct the hospital.
“Their arrival is a clear sign that this project is advancing as planned and that momentum is continuing to build.”
Mr Brown says the project is already delivering benefits for the region.
“As construction activity ramps up, the project is creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and providing a significant boost to the regional economy.
“About 40 workers are currently on site each day, with that number expected to increase to about 80 in the coming weeks as construction progresses.
“At peak construction, the project will support more than 900 full-time equivalent jobs and inject around $100 million into the local economy each year.”
Mr Brown says significant progress is also being made on the outpatient building, which remains on track to open later this year.
“On 6 July, we will see another major milestone when an MRI scanner and CT scanner are craned into the outpatient building in a highly coordinated operation.
“Installing this specialist equipment marks the transition from constructing the facility to preparing it for patient care. Their arrival is another visible sign that the outpatient building is nearing completion.”
The installation of fixtures, furnishings, and equipment throughout the building is also well underway, including operating tables, waiting room seating, staff workstations, and storage solutions.
“We are focused on fixing the basics and building the future. Every milestone at both the inpatient and outpatient buildings brings us closer to delivering a modern, fit-for-purpose hospital that will serve the people of Dunedin, Otago, and Southland for generations to come.”
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/29/new-dunedin-hospital-reaches-new-heights-with-tower-cranes/