Larrakeyah Barracks Resident Redevelopment

Sector

Defence

Contract value

$79+ million

Completion date

2012

Location

Larrakeyah, Northern Territory

Status

Completed

Type of project

Construction

Client

Defence Housing Australia

Awards

• Master Builders Australia 2013 Excellence Award for Commercial Construction $50 – $100 million
• Master Builders NT 2013 Excellence Award for Commercial Construction $50 – $100 million
• Master Builders NT 2013 Excellence Award for Residential Construction – Medium Density over 5 Dwellings

The Larrakeyah Barracks Resident Redevelopment project was delivered under 2 separate work packages (the early works package and main works package). The early works package involved the demolition of 61 houses, paths, fences, associated services, hard landscaping, trees, shrubs, and the playground area. The main works package was the constructions of 97 new houses for the Larrakeyah Barracks residents.

DCOH provided an alternative method for the demolition of the existing houses. Of the 61 residences to be demolished, only 2 were demolished and the remaining 59 were removed (as a whole) from the site and temporarily relocated by DCOH. The removed buildings were made available for sale to the public. This initiative significantly reduced the amount of waste, with approximately 95% of the existing buildings being reused/recycled. It also reduced the inconvenience to the base operations, the general public and the adjacent Larrakeyah Primary School. Over 600 truck movements scheduled to pass the guard ‘house’ were avoided, which also resulted in significant savings to the client. All demolished concrete was salvaged and reprocessed for use as road base. All trees were either protected as documented or mulched and stockpiled for reuse onsite for the final landscaping.

Project features:

• 97 new high set homes with high energy efficiency ratings
• Minimal disruption to Defence base operations
• Innovated method was used to lift buildings over the front security guard ‘house’ using a specialist trailer equipped with a hydraulic lifting mechanism to raise and lower the houses onto trucks parked within the base
• Engagement of a specialist contractor to carry out existing infrastructure detection which showed extensive damage to existing services. A report was provided and accepted by the client to upgrade all new services (a major cost saving to the project)
• High density, urbanised and live operational environments
• Complex staging of works
• Strict vibration, dust and noise controls
• Complex pedestrian and traffic management
• Strict environmental and safety controls (including erosion and sediment control measures)
• Management of nominated subcontractors
• Restricted working hours
• Strict delivery timeframe
• Sustainable solutions