Historic buildings to be demolished

A run-down group of old buildings occupying a prime Tauranga downtown block will be demolished to make way for a six-storey office and retail development.
Tauranga's biggest CBD commercial development in years will anchor the northern end of The Strand and provide a huge confidence booster to the downtown's flagging fortunes.
Lady Rose Dairy, a company associated with Tauranga's Waddell family, has applied for resource consent for the new building (pictured above), with the main frontage occupying the entire Harington St block between The Strand and Willow St.
The development goes around the corner to also occupy the entire Willow St block to Hamilton St, but it only has a comparatively small frontage on The Strand.
It will mark the end of the collection of old buildings currently housing The Grumpy Mole Saloon, Play Nightclub, Tauranga Central Backpackers and the City Markets fruit and vegetable shop.
The development is poised to become one of the first to cash in on the council loosening old height controls.
Mayor Stuart Crosby said the council had tried to create an environment for development and this tired old end of the CBD was not relevant to the future of Tauranga. "Investments like this are very important to the confidence of the CBD."
Priority One's Duarne Lankshear said it was a significant catalyst development that would provide high quality office space, convenience retail, and food and hospitality.
Mr Lankshear said the development would help ensure Tauranga was able to provide the right sort of space for large tenants - including those looking to move to the city.
"The floor plates are such that they can be split up to accommodate a range of tenant sizes."
Mr Lankshear said the benefits - including great inner city parking, views and access to the water - should outweigh any negatives.
He had faith that it would go ahead. "The property owner is an established investor that is likely to progress the project at an appropriate time."
The final go-ahead would likely be subject to a pre-commitment from tenants, he said.
Details of the consent application showed that although it would have 195 on-site parking spaces, it still represented a shortfall on what was required by council planning rules.
The development's impact on the views and general pleasantness of the surrounding neighbourhood has been assessed as ranging from low to moderate. "The greatest visual impacts arise in relation to streets and properties closest to the new development," the application said.
It argued that the height and scale would form a good sense of enclosure and definition to the surrounding streets, without overwhelming them.
While there was a potential loss of some views towards the harbour from some of the surrounding taller buildings such as Harrington House, the small footprint would ensure harbour views from most locations, albeit a reduced panorama.
The application said the development could be accommodated within the landscape without adversely affecting the character, aesthetic value and integrity of the urban and coastal environment.
New era
Happening Now
* Law firm Sharp Tudhope's four level building under construction on the corner of Devonport Rd and First Ave.
Planned
* The Reynolds Family's two-level development between Masonic Park and the Cornerstone Pub.
* The Waddell Family's six-level Strand development.
* Developer Peter Cooney's 6000 sq m office block on the old Bay Nissan site on the corner of Elizabeth St and Cameron Rd.
* The council-driven hotel and conference centre opposite Baycourt on Durham St.
* Developer Paul Bowker is chasing down funding for the Strand City office, retail and apartment development on the 4380 sq m carpark tucked in behind Devonport Rd and Elizabeth St and alongside his Hotel on Devonport.