Future options for historic city site
consent was needed for any alteration or demolition of the building.
The property also has numerous mature trees, with a rata classed as a ‘heritage’ tree, a jacaranda classed as a ‘local’ tree, and a palm categorised as a ‘landscape’ tree. It also has numerous mature fruit and nut trees.
Sotheby’s Nelson sales manager Steve Kelso said they hoped the next owner of the land had a sense of the significance of the site in their vision for its future, but the ultimate plan was a matter between the buyer and council.
‘‘We want to respect the historical significance and we’d like to see the history not forgotten, but we can’t get in the way of development,’’ Kelso said.
While Wainui House itself had been changed a lot internally, having been divided up into flats, the original corridor appeared to still be there and it had lovely original native timber floors, Kelso and Keightley said.
They said the large green space in central Nelson made the property ‘‘unique’’ and a ‘‘prized’’ opportunity for potential buyers.
Keightley said they’d like to see any future development of the site being something that ‘‘the whole of Nelson is proud of’’. Tenders for the property close on June 15.
Wainui House has been in the ownership of the Mackersey family since the 1940s.