Consent granted for rebuild workers' camp

An aerial view of the tents in North Hagley park and Christ's College, a week following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch. Photo / NZ Herald

Resource consent has been granted for a temporary camp that will house up to 200 rebuild workers in St Albans, Christchurch.

Christchurch company JGM Group Ltd has been granted consent to build a complex of relocatable single-bedroom accommodation units at the former Orion site on the corner of Madras and Canon streets.

The temporary 10-year camp, Cressy Village, is one of four that will be built throughout Christchurch and it is expected these rented sites could provide a home for more than 1000 people.

It is understood the camp will be open in April.

The 2.38ha site, which will be similar to a hotel, will include suites, a bar, catering, dining hall, restaurant, cafe, laundry, storage, gym, a small football pitch, basketball hoops and other recreational facilities.

The development is funded by JGM Group Ltd which will rent the sites from existing landowners.

Each unit would contain a single bedroom, bathroom, wardrobe/storage and a kitchenette.

There would be 24-hour security on site with swipe-card access to the facility and alcohol controls.

Background checks for tenants would have to completed before they moved in.

The construction company signs the tenancy agreement and any misbehaviour is treated as an employment issue.

About 30 to 50 jobs will be created to help run the facility.

JGM Group director Jamie Thomas was not available to talk about the project.

After the village is closed, the land will go back to the owner of the site and it is intended JGM Group Ltd will donate six units to the Women's Refuge and four units to the City Mission.

The village name came from one of the first four ships that arrived in 1850 transporting workers who built Christchurch.

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