Has Peter Jackson bought former Vatican embassy?

NZ Herald

8 Dec, 2015 06:28 PM2 mins to read

A neighbour told Stuff.co.nz that he had recently seen a Weta van going up the driveway. Photo / Getty

Rumours are rife in Wellington that Sir Peter Jackson has bought yet another historic city landmark - this time the former Vatican embassy overlooking Lyall Bay.

The property's title holder is Michael Stephens, Sir Peter's lawyer, who is also a director of the filmmaker's company Wingnut Productions, with Jackson's wife Fran Walsh.

According to public records, the property's title was last transferred in April this year to Mr Stephens, from previous owners The Holy See - The Apostolic Nunciature, but was last sold in 2012 for $3.15 million.

The grand red brick building at 112 Queens Dr is set back from the road and is surrounded by mature trees. It sits on 1.6 hectares of land and has a capital valuation of $3.1 million.

The grand red brick building at 112 Queens Dr is set back from the road and is surrounded by mature trees.

A neighbour told Stuff.co.nz that he had recently seen a Weta van going up the driveway, another black van and a motorbike that he described as "like something out of Kill Bill".

Weta is one of Sir Peter's many companies of which Mr Stephens is a shareholder, director or former director.

In August it was confirmed that the Lord of the Rings director had bought St Christopher's Church in Seatoun for $1.06 million, which was built in 1932.

The beloved church was in need of earthquake strengthening.

And in 2007, he 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 earthquake concerns.

By 2014, the refurbished church had so much new steel and concrete that it was up to 100 per cent of the building code.