Hastings council decides to build inner-city housing development on dormant site

The council-owned buildings will be turned into apartments, extra carparks, a pedestrian laneway connecting to Heretaunga St, and a pocket park. Photo / Supplied

Hastings District Council is developing inner-city housing that it hopes will add to the city centre's revitalisation.

It's repurposing and reimagining of the buildings at 206 Queen St West and 223 Heretaunga St West – once home to the Hawke's Bay Farmers Co-operative Association, and more recently Briscoes.

The council-owned buildings, which have been vacant for some time, will be turned into quality apartments for inner-city living, extra carparks, a pedestrian laneway connecting to Heretaunga St, and a pocket park, with additional space for two commercial tenancies.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said it would be another exciting step towards the vision of creating more inner-city green spaces, enhancing connections around the city, and showcasing how inner-city living can work.

"We've done an enormous amount of work in the eastern blocks of Hastings and this is a flagship project for the western end that will add to the street upgrades and enhancements that are underway or starting soon.

"This building has historic importance for our city, and this is proposed to be reflected in the new development that will honour that past, and enhance it for the future.

"We made a change to our district plan in 2019 to make it easier to build residential accommodation in our city, and it's very exciting to make this happen."

While the proposal is to demolish the existing buildings, their heritage facades will be retained and the new design would reflect the original Hawke's Bay Farmers' Co-operative garage – and incorporate the Art Deco and Zig-Zag moderne architectural elements of nearby buildings.

A new three-storey quality residential apartment building would be built at the Queen St end with 18 apartments and private carparking for them. Some public carparking also will be provided.

A public pocket park adjacent to the apartments is envisaged to incorporate native plantings echoing the wetland that occupied the area before flooding in 1867 changed the landscape.

This natural environment will also be reflected in decorative elements in the laneway leading to Heretanga St, using kōwhaiwhai, tukutuku and taniko patterns.

Council is keen to hear what the public thinks of the proposal and is providing more detailed information at a pop-up shop next to Michael Hill Jeweller that is open Monday to Friday, October 10 to 28, from 10am to 4pm each day.

In the shop people can see the design concepts, learn more about the overall project, and have a chance to ask questions.

The resource consent for the work was publicly notified on Saturday, October 8, and people can make submissions until November 7.

Go to https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/hastings/projects/200-west-block for more information, and to give your feedback.