The owner of the restored St John's Presbyterian Church in Cromwell has been ''rewarded'' with a rates remission.
Brendon Urlich bought the 135-year-old stone church to convert into a holiday home and has been restoring and renovating the building for more than two years.
The former Auckland man is now based in Vietnam and he is the head of L'Oreal operations in that country.
He wrote to the Central Otago District Council recently, asking about the rates remission policy on historic buildings that were privately owned.
Mr Urlich said he had made a ''significant investment'' to preserve and restore the building.
The work included repointing it, replacing the roof and spouting, earthquake-strengthening, reinforcing the foundations, rebuilding the bell tower and painting the exterior.
Listed as a Category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand, the main church building on Inniscort St was built in 1880 or 1881.
The sale of the church and manse in 2004 was a controversial decision by Presbyterian Church leaders. The Cromwell church and the Bannockburn one were sold to finance a larger church, to accommodate a growing congregation.
Rates remissions were aimed at encouraging the maintenance and restoration of historic buildings, the council's rates policy says.
''Provision of a rates remission recognises that there are private costs incurred for public benefit.''
Property owners had to meet certain criteria.
The building had to have been constructed before 1900 or be on the council's register of heritage buildings.
The owner had to make a commitment to the ongoing maintenance of the building or provide details of the restoration project.
The council agreed to a rates remission of 30% for up to five years.
