Building consents: Holy Trinity Church gets nearly $2 million makeover

Holy Trinity Church administrator Donald Carter. Photo / George Novak

Tauranga's Holy Trinity Church is undergoing a nearly $2 million makeover.

A building consent worth $1.7m has been approved by the Tauranga City Council to refurbish the old hall and build a smaller 80-seat chapel.

It is one of 203 building consents worth more than $72m issued in February.

Holy Trinity Church administrator Donald Carter said the hall, built in the early 1950s, was originally meant to have been demolished after a fire at the church in 1999.

A childcare centre was meant to have been included in the rebuild, Carter said.

However, he said the build did not happen and was left as is.

"In the last two or three years, in particular, we became aware the hall needed to be either refurbished or pulled down."

But, Carter said it was going to cost about $50,000 to pull it down.

"We examined the questions as to whether the bones of the hall were good, and they were.

"It was the difference between what is essentially $2 million and $4.5 million."

The $1.7m refurbishment will include a new kitchen, toilets, meeting rooms, a 130-seat hall and an 80-seat chapel.

"Part of the dream was to put a chapel in."

Jigsaw Architects' impression of what the newly refurbished hall could look like. Photo / Supplied

Carter said the project was under way and was expected to be completed by August this year.

"We're still in the process of fundraising for it."

The need to refurbish the old hall had "always been there", he said.

"The feedback we've had from the community over the long period of time simply by interest is: 'Have you got a space?'

"We had a space, but it was very old and tired."

Carter said the refurbishment had been in the making for at least three years and he was "absolutely thrilled" to reach this point.

"There's a great sense of anticipation."

Priest in charge Adrienne Bruce said the refurbishment had "huge potential" for the parish and was "very necessary".

"This is going to provide the space for all sorts of things to happen here. It is very exciting," she said. "There's a real buzz in the parish."

Reverend Dale Williamson, who was the co-vicar of Holy Trinity Tauranga, said the idea had been in the pipeline for a few years.

"People were excited about the idea of having a smaller chapel for smaller events," she said.

Williamson said people had enjoyed collecting, saving and preserving special treasures to incorporate into the new chapel.

Jigsaw Architects' impression of what the new chapel could look like, including the newly restored stained glass windows. Photo / Supplied

Panels of the soldiers' memorial stained glass window unveiled by the Bishop of Waiapu in 1923 were being restored as a triptych to go in the new chapel's newly restored hall precinct.

It was thought to have been destroyed in the fire, but the window was found in 2020, damaged but restorable.

"It will be great to see it finished."

Jigsaw Architects' impression of what the new chapel could look like. Photo / Supplied

Major consent applications issued value over $1m

565 Maunganui Rd
Construct changing rooms and garage for the school swimming pool
$1,000,000

73A Oceanbeach Rd
Construct a three-storey, three-bedroom dwelling with a single storey, five-bedroom detached dwelling and swimming pool
$2,200,000

124 Hewletts Rd
Construct an enclosed canopy between the existing buildings
$3,300,000

242 Grenada St
Villas 77-78 (Duplex) - 2x single level, 2 bedroom units with attached garages
Villas 79-80 (Duplex) - 2x single level, 2 bedroom units with attached garages
Villas 81-82 (Duplex) - 2x single level.
$3,355,000

35 Taurikura Drive
Construct two single storey commercial buildings (Building A - 2 units, Building B - 3 units) connected with shared canopy. Retaining wall
$4,000,000

59 Churchill Rd
Construction of six attached 2 storey townhouses - each dwelling has 3 bedrooms with attached single garage.
$1,070,000

40 Hotuhotu St
New 2 unit warehouse building
$1,500,000

41 Taitimu Rd
Stage 1 - civil, foundation and superstructure of cool store and packhouse extension. $8,000,000

8 Keahi Rise
New industrial and warehousing building - 1 x industrial unit and 2 x warehousing units.
$2,400,000

215 Devonport Rd
Alteration to existing building - Refurbishment to hall, chapel meeting rooms, foyer toilets, warming servery kitchen and circulation. Structural upgrade to 100% NBS. New part concrete and timber floor
$1,700,000

Source: Tauranga City Council