Douglas Lilburn Trust in race to buy composer's house

Lilburn's house, in Thorndon, is surrounded by bush. Picture / Mark Mitchell

The central Wellington home of the composer dubbed the grandfather of New Zealand music, the late Douglas Lilburn, is to be sold as a new trust tries to retain it in public ownership.

The Lilburn Residence Trust wants the 1950s weatherboard house kept, either for visiting composers or as a home for the Creative New Zealand Victoria University composer in residence.

But with the house likely to be put on the market in the next few days by the separate Lilburn Trust, it will be difficult for the new group to secure sufficient money in time to buy the property.

The Thorndon house is surrounded by bush, and has a rateable value of $360,000, with a land value of $330,000. It has a heritage order on it, preventing development of the site.

Wanganui-born Lilburn, rated New Zealand's greatest composer, lived there for more than 40 years before he died, aged 85, in 2001.

Lilburn Trust member and executor of Mr Lilburn's will, Margaret Calder, said Lilburn had asked that all his assets be realised and the money held in the trust he set up in 1984 for the ongoing fostering of New Zealand music. "It's the instruction in the will," she said.

Lilburn Residence Trustee Scilla Askew said Lilburn had tried before he died to find a way to have his home kept as a residence, without success. She said it could complement residences for writers and visual artists which were also in Thorndon.

"There are no residences for composers in New Zealand at all."