What is an Alliance?

Alliances are increasingly used to deliver complex and challenging design and construction of major infrastructure worldwide.

Alliance projects involve the owner and non-owner participants collaborating to deliver a project, with all participants sharing the responsibility for project risks and for achieving project objectives.  In an alliance all participants win or lose commercially depending on their collective performance against the objectives.  This creates an incentive for the participants to focus on what is ‘best for project’.

Compared with the ways projects are traditionally delivered, alliances rely more on developing trust and strong relationships to drive performance than on the legal and contractual relationship between participants.  They are about forming teams and making those teams perform in an environment where culture, behaviour and team commitment are important.

Project alliances generally work best when they must deliver complex and high-risk infrastructure projects where the risks are unpredictable and are best managed collectively.  In this environment there is opportunity for joint problem solving and innovation, often resulting in considerable savings for the client.

The Victoria Park Tunnel Alliance (VPA) is just such an alliance. It brings together a high performance, integrated team to address the project’s complex design, construction, environmental and lifecycle issues.

This Alliance aims to deliver outstanding performance by achieving project milestones on time, on budget and with excellent outcomes in areas of stakeholder relations, environmental performance, traffic flows, safety and quality.

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The Victoria Park Alliance

The Victoria Park Alliance comprises the NZ Transport Agency, Fletcher Construction, Beca, Higgins Contractors and Parsons Brinckerhoff working with equal commitment towards a common goal under a single governance structure.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA)

The NZ Transport Agency is a Crown entity established in 1 August 2008.  It combines the functions of Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand to provide an integrated approach to transport planning, funding and delivery.

NZTA provides a vital link between government policy making and the operation of the transport sector. Its responsibilities include managing the state highway system throughout the country.

For further information see NZTA's website.

Fletcher Construction

Fletcher Construction, a division of Fletcher Building, is New Zealand’s major player in the global construction industry.  It has unrivalled depth and breadth of experience across all facets of the industry.

The company has delivered many of New Zealand’s most challenging and iconic construction projects including the Sky Tower, and Westpac and Jade Stadiums.

Recent major transport infrastructure projects have included the Northern Busway, Upper Harbour Bridge duplication, Marsden Point Deepwater Port, Central Motorway Junction Improvements and the Manukau Harbour Crossing Project.

Fletcher is the lead contractor on the VPT Alliance, providing planning, project management and construction expertise.

For further information see Fletcher's website(external link).

Beca

Beca is an international professional services consultancy based in Auckland with projects worldwide. Its services include engineering, planning, project management, architecture, geographic information system (GIS) and surveying, asset management and valuations.

A large part of its business is in the transport sector, where it focuses on innovative and sustainable solutions.

Beca provides the design resource to the VPT Project.

For further information see Beca's website(external link).

Higgins Contractors

Higgins brings to the project all the resources needed to deliver the traffic control, kerb and channel, sub-grade stabilisation and road pavement aspects of the project.

A long established family-owned company, Higgins has established itself in the Auckland region as a contractor with the capacity to deliver roading, pavement and traffic management activities on major projects.

Higgins has worked on a number of joint ventures with Fletcher Construction and Beca, including the Central Motorway Junction Improvements and the Manukau Harbour Crossing Project.

For further information see Higgins' website.(external link)

Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB)

Parsons Brinckerhoff is one of the world's leading planning, engineering, and program and construction management organisations. 

PB is responsible for designing the VPT’s mechanical and electrical systems, including ventilation, fire and life safety, communications and control systems.  PB is also producing 3-D visualisations of the works, which will be used for community consultations and to update stakeholders.

For further information see PB’s website(external link).

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The VPT Community Liaison Group

The VPT Community Liaison Group has been specifically formed to provide a sound and transparent relationship with the community.  We urge the community to contact us on an ongoing basis to discuss any issues related to the project.  We also welcome feedback and are happy to provide regular updates. 

The Members

Nikki Kaye, Local MP
Rita Maud, Assistant to Nikki Kaye
Owner, New World Victoria Park
Kiri McCabe, Victoria Park Collective
Tony Skelton, St Marys Bay Associaton (CLG chair)
Graham Donald, Fuji Xerox
Ross Tizard, Victory Christian Church
Mitch Tse,  Auckland City Council (Traffic)
Russell Mathieson, Westhaven Marina Manager
Sarah Prenter, Victoria Park Markets
Ulf Behncke, ‘Gasworks’ businesses and Beaumont Quarter
Adrian Smith, Grafton Cricket Club
Sandra Jenkins, Freemans Bay School
Sarah Gillander, Freemans Bay School
Peter Spies, NZTA, Chair of the VPT Project Alliance Board
Darren Utting, VPT Stakeholder Manager
Andrea Williamson, VPT Traffic Manager
Helen Cook, NZTA Communications Manager for VPT