The New Zealand film director, producer and rich lister bought St Christopher's Church in Seatoun for $1.06 million - well below its CV of $1.35 million - and it will need earthquake strengthening.
The property's titleholder is Michael Stephens, Sir Peter's lawyer, who is also a director of the filmmaker's company Wingnut Productions, along with Sir Peter's wife Fran Walsh.
According to QV, St Christopher's was sold on April 29 for, with a settlement date of June 26.
The church and a neighbouring hall have a combined floor area of 560sq m and sits on 1012sq m of land and an organisation called Miramar Peninsula Community Trust will lease the church from Sir Peter.
Built in 1932, in the Romanesque Revival style, the church was designed by William Fielding, who was also responsible for Wellington's Congregational Church in Cambridge Tce (1916), the Evening Post building in Willis St (1927), and the Methodist Church in Waitoa Rd, Hataitai (1928).
The separate hall dates back to 1913.
Both require earthquake strengthening and have a heritage classification under the Wellington district plan.
Enterprise Miramar Peninsula chair Thomas Wutzler said St Christopher's was one of Seatoun's iconic buildings.
It is not the first time the Jacksons have saved a church. In 2007, they bought the Our Lady Star of the Sea Convent Chapel built in 1924, which is perched on the hillside overlooking Seatoun.
The church had been closed in 2002 due to quake concerns.
By 2014, the refurbished church had so much new steel and concrete that it was up to 100% of the building code.
In 2011, the Jacksons bought Wellington's BATS theatre, and undertook quake strengthening.
Jackson ranks 14th on the National Business Review's rich list, and is said to be worth $630 million.
- NZ Herald
