Old refinery site planned for subdivision
Nelson’s old refinery building site is being prepared for residential development.
But while steps are being taken to ready the site for housing, the Nelson City Council is remains tight-lipped about the plans, citing commercial sensitivity.
The building, commissioned in 1932, and was the home of the Nelson Tobacco Company founded in 1934.
Most recently it was used as an art gallery, the Refinery ArtSpace, until it was shut to the public in 2020 after it was found to be earthquake-prone in 2012.
A building is earthquake-prone if it meets less than 34% of the new building standard. The Nelson Refinery’s rating was less than 15%.
Last year, the council set aside $1.37 million in its Long Term Plan for the demolition of the building. That sum comprised $887,000 for deconstruction and $500,000 for an undefined future use of the site.
At the time, the council’s group manager of community services, Andrew White, said there had been no the council hadn’t made a decision about whether to strengthen or deconstruct the building.
“As the compliance requirement involves removing the building if it is not strengthened, we need to make provision for that cost in the draft Long Term Plan.”
The council then sought expressions of interest for the site in September, with the information document stating the “council is open to refitting, refurbishing, or demolishing and constructing a new building on site”.
Now, it appears the site has been earmarked for residential development.
At a council meeting last week, councillors voted to remove the Halifax St site from the Rutherford and Trafalgar Parks Reserves Management Plan.
The report to councillors stated: “Officers are currently preparing the subdivision consent application to enable subdivision of the site from the larger title in order to facilitate its lease and redevelopment.”
During the meeting, strategic housing adviser Lisa Gibellini told councillors the site needed to be removed from the reserves management plan because the “council is enabling residential activity and working in partnership” with the developer.
“We want to make sure we’re rolling out the red carpet.”
When asked for more information about the plans for the site – including the council’s involvement, whether the existing building would be demolished, and the time frame for development – a council spokesperson said they could not comment.
“The details of this are still confidential due to commercial sensitivity.”
The Refinery ArtSpace shifted location in 2020 to premises in Hardy St.
By Warren Gamble, Nelson Mail
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