Allens advises on NZ cornerstone road infrastructure

Allens has advised Acciona Concesiones S.L and Higgins Contractors Limited on their successful bid to provide Asset Management and Maintenance for the Pūhoi Warkworth Roading PPP as part of the Northern Express Group (NX2).

The NZ Transport Agency has entered into a Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract with NX2 to finance, design and construct the motorway, and then manage and maintain this section of SH1 for 25 years after construction is completed. The net present cost for delivering the motorway through a PPP is $709.5 million.

Construction is expected to begin before the end of the year and will take five years, with the target to have the road open to traffic by 2022.

Pūhoi to Warkworth will form the first stage of the Government's Ara Tūhono Pūhoi to Wellsford Road of National Significance (RoNS). This section will extend the Northern Motorway (SH1) 18.5km from the Johnstone Hill tunnels just south of Pūhoi to just south of the Kaipara Flats Road intersection, north of Warkworth.

The Allens team was led by David Donnelly and Paul Telford, and advised on maintenance and management of the motorway for the 25-year period from construction to completion, which involved a number of unique features designed to provide flexibility and improve the value delivered to the New Zealand Government.

'We were delighted to partner with Acciona and Higgins on this deal, and to be able to support these clients on the deals, and in the markets, that are important to them,' Paul said.

'The firm is committed to playing a central role in the development of important infrastructure in the region, and this is another example of Allens working with our clients to do that,' David said.

Ends