Former hospital still in ‘limbo’

A neighbour living next to the former Glamis Hospital in Dunedin says residents remain in "limbo" despite the brief return of the derelict building’s owner from Malaysia.

Grant Meikle said building owner Leng Seak Loke had returned to Dunedin a couple of months ago, and was in contact with neighbours at the time.

However, he had since left for the North Island, "and we haven’t seen him since", Mr Meikle said yesterday.

While neighbours waited for decisions on the future of the Montpellier St building, trespassers continued to be regular visitors to the site, he said.

"There’s a steady stream of teenagers and vandals through there.

"The police have been up quite a few times, called by various neighbours who spot the kids.

"They [vandals] kick holes in the walls, or spray paint or have a bit of a party in there."

The site had until recently been surrounded by security fences, but those had been removed about a month ago, Mr Meikle said.

He was aware of one potential buyer, but nothing appeared to have happened.

"It’s all in limbo really, but we want to see it gone. We’re over it."

The building was suspected to be linked to an influx of "very large" rats to the area, he believed.

Attempts to contact Mr Loke or his representatives yesterday were unsuccessful.

In 2018, the Otago Daily Times reported the building — gutted by two major fires — was lying derelict while Mr Loke was in Malaysia in poor health.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand fire risk management officer Mark Brendenbeck said at the time he had major concerns about the state of the building, which represented a risk to the public, neighbouring properties and anyone entering it.

However, council building solutions principal adviser Neil McLeod said at the time the building was not considered dangerous while unoccupied, and trespassing was a police matter.

The council did not have the power to compel Mr Loke to act, but had made suggestions, including demolition as an option, he said.

Yesterday, Mr McLeod maintained that view, saying the building’s condition was being monitored and there was nothing to suggest it was deteriorating to the extent further action was required.

Mr Loke, speaking in 2018, had insisted the building was not abandoned, but his plans to renovate it and run a business from inside had been dashed by the fires.

He had still hoped to return to Dunedin to assess the building, before making decisions about its future, he said at the time.

chris.morris@odt.co.nz