Isaacs survives review of Christchurch rebuild team

On its first anniversary the central Christchurch development unit has been restructured and will continue to be led by director Warwick Isaacs.

The National Business Review Print edition reported on July 7 how the Canterbury rebuild is in dire straits and quoted Property Council chief executive Connal Townsend saying that the centrally-planned rebuild plan had failed.

The central Christchurch development unit is a division of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and the restructuring announcement was due out tomorrow.

The new rearrangement sees general manager capital investment and insurance recoveries James Hay leaving CCDU “to pursue new opportunities within the public service”.

General manager of project delivery Greg Wilson and general manager of design and planning Don Miskell will become new general managers in the communications and capital investment areas.

Mr Wilson will have delivery responsibility for seven of the 10 anchor projects covered by the cost-sharing agreement with Christchurch city council.

The capital investment and insurance recoveries team has been separated into two new business units – greater Christchurch investment strategy and greater Christchurch commercial strategy, with the insurance recoveries work now reporting to CERA chief financial officer Dave Mills.

The two new teams will be responsible for developing the investment and commercial strategies for the anchor projects, and for seeking private investment in Christchurch.

“CCDU will seek candidates with specialist commercial and procurement skills to lead this work,” according to a prepared statement issued today.

Milestones and timelines for all anchor projects being led by the Crown will be published before September 1, 2013.

The restructure comes one year after the CCDU was set up and announced at a lavish public relations function timed for the Prime Minister John Key to speak on 6pm television news outlets.

Since that time there has been little apparent progress, leading to recent criticisms from the Property Council and also from Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend, who says it has become bogged down.

c.hutch@clear.net.nz