Tasman District council has purchased the prime Methodist church site in Richmond for $3 million.
TDC group manager community infrastructure, Richard Kirby, says the highly sought after corner section will provide the Council with a number of options in the future development of the town centre including the retention of a green space amenity, future office space or as an investment to benefit ratepayers.
The 1,801m2 property on the corner of Queen St and Wensley Rd includes the Ernest Loney Memorial Methodist Hall, grounds and carpark, and was confirmed as unconditional on 8 July.
Summit Real Estate listing agent Bevan Dixon says council were one of many interested parties.
“It’s such a high-profile site, it’s a large piece of land to be sitting in the CBD and they’re [council] the smart ones because they took it out of the market.”
Bevan says there was interest from around the country with people looking at purchasing for a variety of different developments.
“Tasman District Council will utilize it very well; I mean it gives them a home basically opposite their current site.”
Richard says the purchase gives council strategic opportunity in relation to the option of potential re-development of the current office site.
The Church Hall building located on the rear of the property is not considered an advantage in the long term. However, in the short-term, it could be fitted out and utilised as temporary additional office space.
The funds to purchase came from a general property budget place holder in the 2021/31 Long-Term Plan.
Council has until 2033 to either earthquake-strengthen their current building or be forced to vacate, as the building has been found to fall below New Building Standards.
A long-term solution for the future of the main council building would be considered as part of its next LTP 2024/34.
Council is due to take posession of the church site on 19 August. The Parish has said it is pleased that the premises will remain in community ownership.
The Richmond Methodist Church was originally built in Salisbury Rd in 1844 and was the first church of any denomination in Richmond. A subsequent two-storey Gothic Church was built on the Wensley Rd site in 1913 and the current Loney hall in 1952.
