World-leading health precinct to transform central Dunedin
A world-leading health and education precinct in central Dunedin has been unveiled by the Southern District Health Board.
The health board worked with local rūnaka, tertiary institutions and other stakeholders to develop a plan that would enhance Dunedin’s city centre, SDHB chief executive Chris Fleming said.
Along with the city’s new $1.4 billion hospital, which will include the site of the former Cadbury factory, the plan, Te Whakaari – The Promise, includes green spaces, additional healthcare services, and retail areas.
The precinct will be between the current hospital site and Lower Stuart St, and will support the revitalisation of the central city.
“Te Whakaari focuses on wellbeing, equity, sustainability, adapting to the effects of climate change, and contributing to a sense of local identity,” Fleming said.
The plan would complement the council’s central city plan, and provide a link between the tertiary precinct to the north of the city and the cultural and entertainment quarter to the south.
The precinct design features three phases of development: short-term (until 2030), medium-term (until 2040) and long-term (until 2080).
That short-term plan includes the completion of the new Dunedin Hospital and a 500-space car parking facility that would be suitable for electric vehicles and cycles.
It will also have an interprofessional learning centre for student learning, and a “translational research centre”.
It is hoped developers will provide retail activity in the precinct during the short-term phase of development.
The medium-term plan would result in Southern Blood and Cancer Services moving south of the new Dunedin Hospital, while the long-term plan allows room for the development of future services.
Meanwhile, spaces between buildings are being set aside for a “green spine” to encourage pedestrian and social activity at the heart of the precinct.
The green spine forms part of a larger greenway loop, and works in tandem with planned upgrades to Dunedin’s retail quarter.
Te Whakaari would help inform future infrastructure decisions for Dunedin, as the health board transitions to Health New Zealand.
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Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”
We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?
Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.
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41.6% Yes
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31.8% Maybe?
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26.6% No
Police urge caution on Southland beaches
As the weather warms up and Southlanders begin flocking to the beach, Police are reminding people of an important fact – beaches are roads and need to be treated as such.
Senior Sergeant Scott MacKenzie, Southland Area Road Policing Manager, says while it is legal to drive on Oreti Beach, you still need to adhere to the road rules.
“The beach has a speed limit of 30k/h – there is no excuse to be over this limit.
The days are getting warmer and with school holidays it can be expected that a lot of families with small children and animals will be heading to the beach to enjoy the sun."
“Anyone driving on the beach needs to be mindful of this, and stay focused on your surroundings,” he says.
The risks of injury or worse, to yourself or others, are just the same as on traditional roads.
Senior Sergeant MacKenzie also reminds beach goers that any form of antisocial road-user behaviour will not be tolerated.
“Some people seem to think that road rules don’t apply to you when on the beach – this is not the case.
Antisocial driving behaviour is unacceptable, on and off the beach, and we encourage the community to report the driving behaviour immediately."
“It is best to make a report while the incident is occurring to allow our staff the opportunity to respond immediately and hopefully disrupt any offenders in the act.
Please take note of as much detail as possible, such as registration number of the vehicle, any identifying features of the vehicle and its driver, or even take a video of the driving behaviour if safe to do so,” he says.
You can report information to us by calling 111 if it is happening now, or through 105 for non-emergencies.
Alternatively, you can report information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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