Appeal for action in Princes St

A Dunedin city councillor says he wants a row of derelict Princes St buildings left empty for years to be redeveloped before they collapse.

Cr David Benson-Pope said he wanted the owner of  the buildings from 372-392 Princes St to get on with work for which he already has resource consent.

He also wants stronger council rules for people who "just land-bank valuable and important strategic properties until they fall down".

The buildings have been empty since about 2009.

They are badly degraded inside, with plants growing in rotted carpet, floors caved in and the stench of decay perceptible from outside their locked doors.

Christchurch-based property developer Luke Dirkzwager yesterday declined to comment on the matter, asking the Otago Daily Times to call him today.

In 2008, Mr Dirkzwager proposed demolishing the buildings and replacing them with a five-storey building with 15 apartments, three of which would be penthouses, and retail space on the ground floor.

The move was opposed during resource consent hearings but in 2014 he won Environment Court approval to demolish them, as long as he retained three of the buildings’ four historic facades.

Cr  Benson-Pope said he had been concerned about the issue "for a hell of a long time".

He noted the ‘‘saga’’ of the Century Theatre across the road on the corner of Princes St and Jetty St, which was demolished and is now a car park.

That building’s facade was not approved for demolition, but "the demolition was done in such a way that made the facade dangerous and unstable, and it had to be knocked over".

"The evidence of what a bad outcome that was is there to this day — in a car park on a corner site."

Cr Benson-Pope said that outcome indicated his thinking on the Princes St buildings.

The possibilities for the area could be seen in the nearby redeveloped warehouse precinct, which had been done with council support.

"It’s a pity the owner hasn’t proceeded with what were relatively acceptable replacements for that triangle of buildings."

City council building solutions principal adviser Neil McLeod said his department had recently dealt with Mr Dirkzwager to make sure the buildings were not a danger to the public.

Strengthening work had been done so if the buildings "fail in any way, the facades would not come out on the street".

That work was done after the council was "made aware of the fact that some of the roof structure was not in the best condition".

"The buildings are deteriorating."

Mr McLeod said his department’s responsibility was to ensure public safety.

The council had been assured by a local structural engineer the work done meant the public was safe, "barring a large earthquake".

Council heritage policy planner Dan Windwood said a list of at-risk buildings, part of a new programme approved last year for heritage buildings, was being put together.

The Princes St buildings would be part of that.

Mr Windwood said the buildings were eligible for support from the Dunedin heritage fund.

"We’d be keen to work in future on this to enable the right results."

The council would talk to Mr Dirkzwager once the list was complete, but had not done so yet.

"It’s certainly on the radar for this year, though," Mr Windwood said.

Cr Benson-Pope said the council could only encourage property owners to redevelop their buildings, but did not have powers to require it.

"To actually make a reluctant owner do something is really difficult.

"We have to come up with a way of doing that, because otherwise people can just land-bank valuable and important strategic properties until they fall down, and we have virtually no choice but to approve demolition.

"That’s the last thing I want to see."

There was a "whole quiver of aid" the council could give and a doubling of the heritage budget was proposed in the long-term plan, he said.

"We’re really good with carrots. We’ve just got to develop a few more sticks."

When the list of at-risk buildings was completed, he would raise at the council what mechanisms could be used to "discourage people from allowing buildings to fall into disrepair like that".

david.loughrey@odt.co.nz