Developers running out of options for villa
Expressions of interest in a free Tudor-style villa in Hastings have come tumbling down, and now the building might too.
Developers TW Property want to remove the two-storey villa on 711 Southland Rd, but they have been unable to find anyone able to take it off their hands.
TW even offered a month ago to help pay up to $50,000 for the cost of the building, as that is what it would cost them to remove the house anyway, but discussions with dozens of interested parties have fallen over.
The developers are running out of options to preserve the building, which was built in 1910 and had previous heritage value, and demolition to allow a planned development to go ahead is becoming more likely.
That development will see the property subdivided to create 10 twobedroom residential units and a shared access area on behalf of the property owner.
For those works, TW Property has applied for resource consent from Hastings District Council.
Simon Tremain, a director of TW Property, said even with the $50,000 offer, the cost of removing and renovating the building had proven to be too prohibitive to more than 30 interested parties.
“If we can’t find someone that wants to take it away and reposition it, then it will have to come down.”
Hastings local Tony Horrocks made an online petition to stop the demolition of the building and reinstate its heritage status, which had 724 signatures as of Thursday.
A Hastings District Council (HDC) spokesperson said the resource consent application for the development, received by the council on March 14, was still being assessed.