No takers for free building in Napier

BY BERNARD CARPINTER

The offer of a free takeaway historic building is struggling to take off.

Napier City Council is offering its Borough Council Chambers, built in 1874, for removal because it wants the prime site for its $17 million new museum.

Originally it planned to demolish the old building, on the corner of Marine Pde and Tennyson St, but mayor Barbara Arnott made the free offer in August after the Historic Places Trust said it wanted the building to survive.

Mrs Arnott said she was aware of only one approach about the council chambers, but that had not led anywhere.

The Historic Places Trust's central region general manager, Ann Neill, said the trust had received a couple of approaches, but nothing for the past month.

However, she was optimistic that a use could be found for the building. It could even be turned into a house, she said.

"It's a domestic-scale building. The council would have had a small staff in 1874.

"There have already been considerable changes to the interior so it could be changed further to suit a wide range of uses. We can help with advice and we would take a pragmatic approach."

The trust did not insist that every detail of a historic building remained the same, she said.

The building – originally constructed in weatherboard but plastered over in 1950 – has a category two listing with the trust.

Napier City Council senior planner Paul O'Shaughnessy said the building was not listed on the city plan, which meant an application to demolish it could be granted without any public hearing.

However, the trust could still have a say in determining its fate. When the Culture and Heritage Ministry considers the council's application for $6m from the regional museums fund, to help pay for the new museum, it will ask the trust for its views.

- © Fairfax NZ News