Heritage facades of derelict buildings in central Dunedin will be inspected to see if they can be made safe.
Commissioning of a report by the Dunedin City Council’s heritage adviser about the legally protected facades comes on the back of two dangerous building notices being issued, covering the buildings at 380 and 386 Princes St.
Engineers have said those buildings are in a state of partial collapse and the building at 392 Princes St is also believed to be at risk in the event of the building next to it collapsing.
The buildings deemed dangerous have been vacant for years, as a result of earlier notices issued to the buildings’ previous owner, before Totara-Dunedin Properties Ltd acquired them.
There has been longstanding disagreement about how development at the site might proceed while preserving the area’s character.
Southern Heritage Trust chairwoman Jo Galer said demolition had been happening through maintenance neglect and that was an appalling situation.
She urged the council to maintain heritage preservation as a priority.
"This is a key heritage precinct in the city," she said.
"We can’t afford to lose buildings like this."
Dunedin city councillor David Benson-Pope said every effort would be made to ensure protected facades stayed protected.
The council can take court action if the dangerous-building notices are not complied with.
Among its options is applying to the district court to require remedial work to be carried out at the owner’s expense.
The building owners, from Christchurch, have been given six months to make the buildings safe, Stuff reported yesterday.
They have until June 20 to submit a traffic management plan for the remedial works.
The council’s policy is for heritage values to be taken into account when considering heritage buildings, and to avoid demolition wherever possible.
On Friday, the council put up a temporary cordon around 372-392 Princes St, closing the footpath closest to the buildings.
It had received an updated engineering report that raised fresh concerns about the buildings’ condition.
The report by Beca, commissioned by Totara-Dunedin Properties, warned the 380 and 386 Princes St buildings were in a state of partial collapse.
The council considers neighbouring 392 Princes St to be affected by the situation.
Council customer and regulatory general manager Claire Austin said the report highlighted the poor condition of the buildings and the risk they posed to the public and adjacent properties.
"We’re disappointed it’s come to this, given the importance of preserving our wide cultural and historical heritage, including our buildings," Ms Austin said.
"However, we are moving quickly to make sure people stay safe and the risks posed by these buildings are managed appropriately."
The Princes St buildings pre-date 1900 and represent a period of rapid expansion in Dunedin during the gold rush years.
Ms Galer said if demolition allowed, this would "ruin the look and feel of that part of town".
