Other half of Queensgate mall in Lower Hutt to reopen in April

Demolition of the Event Cinema and Queensgate in Lower Hutt is now complete. Photo / File

The section of the Queensgate Shopping Centre in Lower Hutt that has been closed for demolition works following the Kaikoura earthquake will be reopened next month.

The mall has been partially closed since it was discovered the Event Cinema and part of the car park were damaged in the quake and needed to be demolished.

While half of the mall was reopened, the other half remained closed to the public, but it will be opened again on April 6 now that the demolition work is complete.

The centre will be reclad and a ground level car park put in the place of the current demolition site. Visitors to the centre will also notice some changes to egress points once the centre reopens.

Queensgate's management company, Stride Investment Management Limited, has previously announced it will rebuild the cinema complex. Details of this will be provided once planning and design work has been completed.

In the meantime, the ground-level parking and cladding will be a medium-term solution.

"Shrink wrapping" the building to create protection from the elements will allow contractors to take their time in creating the best possible medium-term design
aesthetic, with the intention being that the shrink wrap will still be in place at the time of
reopening to allow this work to continue.

Retailers whose premises remained closed because of the adjacent demolition will be given a confirmed date to access their stores in the coming week.

Centre management will hold an information evening for all retailers in late March to provide details of the reopening and to outline future developments at the centre.