Courthouse stays for now

The old Carterton courthouse has won a stay of execution in the wake of community calls to keep the historic building in Holloway St.

Carterton District Council, which this year completed a $1.3 million revamp of the precinct, had sought public feedback through its long-term plan on the fate of the building that neighbours the Carterton Events Centre.

A proposed $515,000 restoration of the courthouse was earlier canned and feedback had been invited on four options regarding the building, which until 2011 had been used by the Order of St John.

The options included removal; painting the building and leaving it vacant; painting and using it for storage; or selling the building for commercial use at its present site.

Martin Sebire, Carterton District Council corporate services manager, said the council had received 24 submissions on the courthouse which were predominantly in favour of retaining the building on the council-owned Holloway St site.

He said eight submissions called for the removal of the building, eight favoured its retention, three sought the sale of the building or its commercial development onsite and five submissions called for the refurbishment of the building for use as a community services hub or museum and archive.

He said councillors had voted at a full meeting on May 22 to hold fire on a decision regarding the courthouse to enable supporters to prepare a business case for the retention of the building that would not require any ratepayer funding.

"It's fair to say a number were in support of retention - two thirds were in support - and because the council plan was to not develop the courthouse, you could say it has been given a stay of execution."

Mr Sebire said councillor Brian Poulsen was to contact parties who may wish to prepare business plans regarding the courthouse.

Tenders were called for the construction of the Carterton Courthouse and Police Stables in 1883 and the building was designed by assistant colonial architect Pierre Burrows, whose most important buildings include the Post Office at Christchurch and Mount Eden Prison.

The Carterton Courthouse was built in 1884 and was originally located on the Post Office site, on the corner of Holloway St and High St.