Opawa school's redevelopment delayed after construction firm went bust

Jake Kenny Reporter from Community News

Rebuild work at a Christchurch school – which was already behind schedule – was further delayed when the construction firm went bust, owing more than $5 million.

Christchurch-based Corbel Construction went into liquidation in December 2018, owing $4.5m to unsecured creditors, $266,000 to BNZ and $960,000 to a private trust.

The company was part way through the first stage of Opawa School’s post-quake redevelopment at the time.

The project – which included new teaching spaces and an administration area – was originally scheduled for completion by September 2017, but did not finish until June 2020, at a cost of $4.5m.

Corbel Construction was founded in 2000 and employed about 80 full-time staff.

It secured several Ministry of Education contracts as part of the Christchurch Schools Rebuild Programme, including $5m for Shirley Primary School’s refurbishment and $2.2m for the construction of a classroom block at Tai Tapu School.

It was also chosen to deliver the $16m upgrade for North Canterbury schools, expanding or improving facilities at Oxford Area, Rangiora Borough, Ashgrove and Southbrook schools.

Head of education infrastructure service Kim Shannon said the ministry was made aware of the firm’s liquidation at the time, and Opawa School was kept “fully informed”.

“The project was delayed by about five months while a replacement contractor, Contract Construction, was appointed,” she said.

Sally Ormandy, principal ​of Opawa School, said they were continuing to work with the ministry to complete their remaining building work.