Consent issued for Bluff Club Hotel demolition
“The decision regarding the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival Charitable Trust application for earth works and demolition of the Bluff Club Hotel was issued
The Bluff Oyster and Food Festival Charitable Trust’s ongoing quest to have the Bluff Club Hotel demolished has taken a significant leap forward.
Independent commissionaire Paula Costello confirmed on Friday that the trust’s application to have the historic building demolished has been approved with some conditions put in place.
The matter has already been a drawn-out saga and has had ramifications for one of Southland’s most popular events given it led to the cancellation of this year’s Bluff Oyster and Food Festival.
There were health and safety concerns associated with the Club Hotel which is situated on the festival site.
It is located on the south side of Gore Street in Bluff and has been vacant for close to two decades. It is in a poor state because of extensive ingress of water over an extended period.
The trust bought the Category 2 heritage building and the land in 2014.
It has since attempted to sell it but failed to attract a buyer. It then applied to the Invercargill City Council in 2019 for resource consent to demolish the building.
However, that resource consent request was declined by hearing commissionaire Peter Constantine.
In his decision, Constantine stated he was “very concerned that there is a significant lack of detail in the application to be able to definitively rule out the potential for alternative outcomes that might not involve demolition.”
Since that decision the Invercargill City Council has issued a Dangerous and Insanitary Building Notice which had required demolition of the building by March 16 this year.
Another resource consent hearing was held on November 15 where the trust that runs the festival, and owns the Club Hotel building, again asked for consent to demolish the building.
On Friday the Invercargill City Council received notification of the outcome of the decision regarding the Club Hotel
Invercargill City Council’s Consenting and Environment group manager Jonathan Shaw said: “The decision regarding the Bluff Oyster and Food Festival Charitable Trust application for earth works and demolition of the Bluff Club Hotel was issued… The applicant was informed of the outcome on Friday 1 December and we are in the process of informing submitters.
“Permission for earth works and demolition has been granted subject to a number of conditions that the applicant will need to adhere to.”
The decision document with all demolition conditions can be found by clicking here.
The decision is subject to an appeal period of 15 working days from the date of receiving the decision, which ends on 12th January 2024, due to the legislative statutory closedown from 20 December 2023.
Shaw said the council was not able to make any comment while this appeal period is in effect.
a victory for common sense