House relocated to make way for new development in Paraparaumu Beach

Shona Kramer, with a photograph of her late husband Alex Kramer, in front of the family home before it was relocated. Photo / David Haxton

A Paraparaumu Beach house with lots of history has been relocated to make way for a new residential complex.

The house, which used to be in Maclean St, was the Kramer family home for many years, but long before that it was used as a school.

It has been relocated to a farm near Rongotea in the Whanganui-Manawatū region.

The land will be used to create a residential complex featuring a range of stylish townhouses and apartments.

Property owner Shona Kramer said years before her late husband Alex died, they had discussed developing the land.

Alex, who worked in the movie industry with Sir Peter Jackson, died in May 2017 aged 56.

"Alex was going to develop the land and had drawn up plans, but cancer took that away from him."

The idea to convert the land became a reality when Shona met with Dave Jongepier and Sam Kortegast from Future Developments.

"They're lovely, awesome guys."

Part of the deal was having the complex named after her late husband.

"I wasn't going to sell unless it had Alex's name on it."

A building removal company transported the house on Tuesday night.

The historic home in Maclean St before its relocation. Photo / David Haxton

Shona was pleased the house had gone to a couple who "have big plans for it".

"They absolutely love it."

When the Kramers bought the house in 1991, they considered demolishing it.

"But when we walked through it, Alex, with his carpentry background, saw it was all heart rimu.

"So over the years we restored it.

"When we first got it, we found lots of blackboards in the porch, which ran for the whole length of the house.

"The night we moved in, an older man knocked on the door and told us that his grandparents built the house.

"He came through the house and said his grandfather was a school teacher and he had the first unofficial school here."

Living in the house had created lots of fond memories that would be cherished by the Kramer family.

A few tears were shed by Shona and her children the night before the relocation.

"But we're doing the right thing and it will help the kids [Monique, Lars and Anneke].

"And this [development] is something Alex and I had always talked about and that is what is happening."

Shona said her hairdressing studio Hair on Maclean, which is on the site at 55 Maclean St, would be pulled down and parts of it recycled.

She had been a hairdresser for 44 years, but retired in November.

"I want to write some more books and get into my artwork."