54 | Using local suppliers and trades people was important. T T from page 53 Project manager Brent McKay, a former construction manager from Marlborough, said the development appealed to Wellington building companies who were looking for space out of the city to base themselves. There were also other trades companies that had relocated, and some clients had purchased units to lease them out. Based on an original polytechnic site that had to be demolished to make way for the industrial village, the earthworks started in January 2022, and the local community quickly noticed the transformation of the site. “A lot of people have outgrown where they are and the city centre doesn’t always suit them. It’s a good affordable hub and brilliant for the local community.” One of the biggest challenges throughout the project was dealing with the amount of rain onsite during the winter of 2022, that Brent described as “character building.” He said there were many landslides in the area and silt retention from the site works was an ongoing issue. Growing relationships with the supplier was crucial. “But the construction has gone well because it was a controlled environment.” Sourcing materials was the other difficulty post-Covid through the supply chain, due to the high demands at the time, and quantities needed. Using local suppliers and trades people was also important, given the size of the project, “and it worked in our favour because they didn’t have to travel for as long.” Mark said given that the state of the economy was not great at the moment, he wanted to build Porirua a fantastic asset that the business community could really call their own. Maprap Holdings DEVELOPMENT CERTIFIED PLUMBERS AND GASFITTERS Specialists in new or exisiting Plumbing, Gasfitting, Heating, Hot water, Underfloor Heating, Drainage, Roofing, Spouting, Building Maintenance and Services, domestic commercial and industrial. Proudly Supporting Maprap Holdings OFFICE +64 21 492 203 SERVICE +64 21 492 291 ipgsltd@gmail.com
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