Historic home cut up and stored away
A 122-year-old building has been cut into more than 20 pieces, ready for its move to a storage unit in Bulls.
Builders spent three weeks splitting Waimarama house on Alfred St, Palmerston North, into pieces to make way for a development project.
The Palmerston North City Council’s heritage building inventory records say the house was built in 1905 for James Alfred Nash.
Nash was a Palmerston North Borough councillor in 1907 and served as mayor between 1908 and 1923.
In 1914, the property was sold to Thomas and Elizabeth Moore, who named the house Waimarama after a sheep station Thomas farmed in Hawke’s Bay.
Milmac Homes owner Michael Binnsbought the property in October 2016.
Binns is moving it to make way for a six-property subdivision.
Historic Places Manawatuhorowhenua chairwoman Cindy Lilburn said it was always sad when a house of significance to the city is taken away.
The previous owners decided not have the house listed as a heritage building, Lilburn said.
‘‘It’s such a shame. It’s sat on that hill and commanded the area for so long.’’
City council planner Matthew Mackay said the building was protected in a District Plan in about 1981, but the protection was removed in the 90s after a submission was made by its owners.
In a recent 10-year review of the District Plan, Waimarama was suggested for protection after the council consulted the community on potential additional heritage buildings.
But the owners at the time made a submission for the building to be excluded from protection under the District Plan, Mackay said.
Central House Movers co-owner Matt Nairn said the house would go into storage until someone ‘‘falls in love with it’’.
It was one of the bigger jobs the company had done and the house was shifted in more than 20 pieces, Nairn said.
The house was moved though Terrace End School’s field because Alfred St was too narrow.