Sir Hamish's former Merivale home back on the market

A heritage-listed house which was once owned by former Christchurch mayor Sir Hamish Hay is up for sale "as is, where is".

The owners of 70 Heaton St, Merivale, had been in the midst of restoring the mansion, but Bayleys listing agents Jackie Derrick and Richard Green told OneRoof a change of circumstances meant they were unable to complete the project.

The two-storey, five-bedroom, four-bathroom property is steeped in history.

It was built in the early 1920s for philanthropist and businessman Robert Ewing McDougall, with the design by prestigious architecture firm the England Brothers.

Sir Hamish, who served five terms as mayor from 1974-1989, purchased the property in 1961 and lived there with his family for about 40 years.

He sold the property prior to his death in 2008.

The house was one of a number of substantial architecturally-designed homes built in Heaton St after it was subdivided in 1914-1919 from former politician Robert Heaton Rhodes’ estate.

Derrick told OneRoof the sale was a fantastic opportunity for somebody wanting to reinvigorate a piece of Christchurch’s history in a desirable blue-chip location.

The deadline sale closes on July 8.

“The moment you put something up on Heaton St, people take notice because you’ve got quite a few character homes and historic homes down that street,” she said.

“It really is a grand home, but it’s unfinished. It just needs somebody to go back in and restore it and love it.”

Derrick said the interest in the property had been “huge”, most from Christchurch buyers and some from overseas.

The RV for the property is $1.58m, but Derrick and Green expect the sale price to be much higher.

The home is set on 1064sq m of established grounds.