Petone arson site owners await consent
THE owners of a derelict and vandalised college deliberately set on fire say they are just waiting for the go-ahead to build there.
Ryman Healthcare has applied for resource consent for a $120 million retirement village on the old Petone technical college site in North St. One of the buildings there was set on fire shortly after 7pm on Monday.
Firefighters spent more than three hours battling the large fire and had crews on standby until yesterday morning in case hotspots flared up again.
Police spokesman Nick Bohm said investigators believed the fire was deliberately lit, but did not find any sign of accelerants at the scene yesterday. Inquiries with nearby residents had also not turned up any new information.
The property has been subject to other arson attacks and vandalism since closing in 2008.
Ryman Healthcare, which bought the property in 2012, said it was waiting for the outcome of a resource consent hearing to see if it can go ahead with the planned retirement village. ‘‘We’re as keen as anyone to get the site fixed up as soon as possible. Once we know the outcome of the planning process we can develop our plans,’’ managing director Simon Challies said.
More than 30 people made submissions on the application, 25 of them against the proposal in its current form.
A hearing was held in December, with objectors raising issues including the effect the development would have on the character of the area and its impact on the Hutt Valley aquifer. A decision on the application is due next month.
Ryman Healthcare spokesman David King said building plans would not be affected by the latest arson, and although the company was eager to make use of the site, its future was in the hands of the resource consent panel.