Group Set To Support Heritage Buildings

A new group, set up by the DCC to promote the economic re-use of heritage buildings, will start its work next week by inviting owners of the city's older, pre 1930, commercial buildings to help guide their activities.

The Heritage Building Economic Re-use Steering Group will hold a public meeting next Tuesday, 16 March, in Bracken Court between 5 - 7 pm.

The Steering Group, chaired by Councillor Dave Cull along with Cr Butcher, DCC staff and Owen Graham from the Historic Places Trust, has sent an invitation to owners of commercial buildings built before 1930.

The meeting, which will introduce the Steering Group to stakeholders, will be seeking two representatives from this sector to ensure the widest range of voices is heard in planning for the future of Dunedin’s heritage buildings.

There continues to be much discussion about the commercial viability of heritage buildings in Dunedin which in the past has revolved around impediments rather than ways to achieve restoration and preservation. The Steering Group seeks to move these discussions forward by supporting those developers already working in Dunedin and by providing information about resources the DCC and others have available for heritage buildings projects.

Currently two sources of DCC funding for heritage building developments exist. There is provision for rates relief via the DCC Rates Relief for Development Policy, while the Heritage Fund is available for such preservation and development projects. Both these funds are available on application to the Dunedin City Council.

The DCC’s Policy Planner – Heritage, Glen Hazelton, is available to help developers with those application processes. Mr Hazelton says, “There are developers in Dunedin doing amazing work and the aim of the Steering Group will be to support and encourage them.”