Race against the wrecking ball
A last-ditch effort has begun to save two rundown Wellington buildings with high ‘‘rarity value’’ before they are potentially demolished to make way for a new Chinese embassy.
Historic Places Wellington is calling on the Chinese Government to reconsider its plans amid concerns for the old structures on the site.
The new embassy of the People’s Republic of China is planned for the corner of Rugby St and Belfast St, near the Basin Reserve cricket ground.
The Chinese Government is understood to have bought the site, which is just over a hectare in size, for $16 million from Foodstuffs in 2014.
Most of the land to be developed has been cleared, but the site is home to the Old Boys and Girls Institute building – pictured far right – and two ‘‘Edwardian’’ terraced houses.
The embassy assured Historic Places Wellington it would preserve the institute’s facade on Tasman St, which would be incorporated into its design.
But the buildings at 53 and 55 Rugby St would need to be removed or demolished because the location was significant to the design factors to the ‘‘overall functionality’’ of the new embassy.
The Chinese Government has a certificate of compliance that enables the lawful demolition of
the two buildings. This was possible because the houses are not heritage-listed in the Wellington District Plan or by Heritage New Zealand. Heritage New Zealand central region director Jamie Jacobs said the pair of terraced houses had recently been nominated, and carefully assessed, for entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Ra¯rangi Ko¯rero.
‘‘We think that the houses are a good candidate for entry on the list,’’ he said.
Built between 1912 and 13, they were ‘‘very rare’’ remaining examples in Wellington of Edwardian terraced housing in
the Australian style, he said.
‘‘Prominent in the streetscape of the Basin Reserve for over a century, they are also an important part of this historic area’s character.’’
Historic Places Wellington vicechairwoman Felicity Wong said a listing would not give automatic protection to the Rugby St houses, which are in a state of disrepair.
She was told it could take a while for them to be listed because of a backlog at Heritage New Zealand.
The only way the embassy would be forced to save the houses was for Heritage New Zealand to get a protection order, which has not been used for about 10 years, she said.
In June, Wong wrote to China’s Ambassador Wu Xi asking her to please to consider saving the facades of the two wooden houses.
She received a letter from embassy lawyers in July and took up a ‘‘hollow offer’’ to meet. But a month later, she’s still waiting for an answer.
‘‘We want them to consider the wider public interest in undertaking a more sensitive development of the site, which retains its built heritage.’’
Wellington City councillor Nicola Young said the embassy had previously told her it would keep the houses, and she would like consideration given to relocating them. ‘‘If we can do anything to keep them that would be fantastic. It would be great if the Chinese Government recognised our interest in our history.’’
David Chick, the council’s chief city planner, said he understood demolishing the houses was not what had been applied for in the consent. He would also like to see them relocated.
Councillor Iona Pannett, who holds the heritage portfolio, said it would take a lot of effort to add the houses to its list, and that sort of change could not be justified.