| 113 Target Road School: Cook Brothers The centrepiece of the recent work is Te Pā Harakeke, a Ministry of Education- funded project designed to accommodate the school’s increasing number of new entrant students. COMMUNITY Colliers Project Leaders has helped deliver a complex education project at Target Road School, working alongside the Ministry of Education and Cook Brothers Construction to bring new learning spaces online under tight timeframes. Project manager Donna Young says the team was engaged to administer the design and build contract on behalf of the Ministry, joining the project after an earlier design had already been completed. “When we came on board there was an existing design, but it required value engineering, which e ectively took us back to the beginning,” she says. That reset created immediate pressure, with the Ministry requiring completion in time for Term 1. Donna says the programme was challenging from the outset, requiring close coordination between all parties. “We were cutting it ine having to go back to square one, so we worked closely with Cook Brothers Construction and their design team to restructure the consenting process.” A split consent strategy was introduced to accelerate delivery, allowing design and construction phases to overlap. This included separating the main build consent from additional approvals, such as the relocation of existing satellite facilities on site. “It was about inding ways to keep the timeline on track while still meeting all regulatory requirements.” Infrastructure capacity also presented a potential constraint. Early assessments raised concerns about whether the existing electrical network could support the new building, with a transformer upgrade initially considered. Instead, the team implemented a smart energy management system to optimise performance within existing limits. “That system controls and manages overall energy use, reducing peaks and smoothing demand,” Donna says. “It meant we could work within the existing infrastructure, which avoided signi icant cost and complexity for the school.” The approach also ensured the school remained within its current energy usage category, avoiding longer term operational impacts. The completed Te Pā Harakeke building now provides modern teaching spaces for new entrant students, along with facilities for a satellite hub of Wairau Valley Specialist School, supporting a more inclusive learning environment. Donna says seeing the inished result and how it is being used is the most rewarding part of the role. “For me, it is about the end result and seeing the children and teachers enjoying their spaces,” she says. “The principal has been great to work with and the feedback has been really positive.” “I really enjoy the build phase because you get to see everything you’ve planned come together. This is a building that needs to serve the school, so it is important to get it right.” Backed by more than 20 years of experience, Colliers Project Leaders continues to deliver projects across New Zealand, with a focus on managing change, maintaining programme certainty, and achieving quality outcomes for clients across both public and private sectors. Fast-Tracked Success for School Project
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