Naylor Love, W&W Construction to build Whanganui’s new court and police hub

The site of Whanganui’s new courthouse and police hub - Te Puna Hapori. Photo / Bevan Conley

Naylor Love has won the contract to build Whanganui’s new courthouse and police hub - Te Puna Hapori - and will partner with W&W Construction.

The partners will be working with Whanganui iwi, New Zealand Police, Ministry of Justice and Whanganui District Council, with construction expected to begin in mid-2024.

Te Puna Hapori has a vision for a range of whānau-centred community and wellbeing services to sit alongside a new police station and courthouse built on a former UCOL polytech site bordered by Liverpool, Bell, Dublin and Wicksteed streets.

Whanganui-based W&W Construction’s projects include the upgrade to the Whanganui Airport terminal.

This week the Te Puna Hapori governance group met the two firms on-site, where building removal is well under way, for an official signing of the construction contracts with Police and the Ministry of Justice.

“Having a local company partner in construction with Te Puna Hapori is great news,” Te Puna Hapori governance group member Tracey Waitokia said.

“It demonstrates what this kaupapa is all about, empowering the wider community, including local businesses and employers, to work with hapū and iwi to create a space for whānau-centric services that will benefit all of us.”

Ministry of Justice acting deputy secretary of corporate and digital services Eve Padgett said awarding the contracts was a significant milestone.

“The benefit of a contractor who has local knowledge and is committed to building strong working relationships with the Te Puna Hapori partners will ensure that the Te Puna Hapori values are strongly entrenched in the construction of the physical site,” she said.

Because Te Puna Hapori is both an iwi-led and community-focused project as well as the name of the physical site, the procurement panel included representatives from Tupoho.

“Naylor Love and W&W demonstrated strong alignment with the goals and aspirations of Te Puna Hapori. They also outlined opportunities for broader outcomes including employment and training opportunities as well as strong engagement with the community throughout the construction phase of the project,” Te Puna Hapori governance group member Ken Mair said.