Old hospital sparks spirited interest: agent

HISTORIC SITE: The former Waipukurau Hospital has had a sudden surge of interest.PHOTO/FILE

The real estate agent charged with selling the reputedly haunted former Waipukurau Hospital is confident things are starting to move for the 3.4ha site which has been languishing abandoned for 16 years in lamb-country capital suburbia.

Dianne Ogilvie, of Professionals franchise Patrick and Scott, says she has had two offers this week - both yet to be put in writing - and will be showing at least one potential buyer through the property off Porangahau Rd next week.

It is a sudden surge of welcome interest in the site which has been put back on the market by Aucklander Bieniowski, with an asking price of $235,000.

"I showed a group through on Tuesday. There has been a lot of interest this week," she said. "There will be bit of movement ... I'm sure of that. The vendor does want to accept an offer."

"I don't think anyone wants to see it continue it in its state of being an eyesore, so we have to let everyone know there is a real opportunity," she said.

The interest is sparked by the size of the site, with most of the buildings in a dilapidated state.

"Apart from two buildings, probably the rest is history," she said.

Those buildings include the area of the hall at the left of the main entrance, and some classic woodwork leading to a boardroom upstairs.

A hospital first opened on the site in 1879 and, after being largely rebuilt in the 1960s, it closed in 1999.

Some former staff quarters were used for boarding accommodation for some time, while the main buildings deteriorated through vandalism, before a fire in 2010 led to the site being fenced off and closed to the public.

The site was sold initially to intending developer Jason Dempsey, and then on auction site Trade Me to Mr Bieniowski.

It was used for scenes in a horror movie, Hollow Crossing, and paranormal investigations group Haunted Auckland became interested in the buildings, gaining access to photograph the interiors in 2012.