Whanganui District Council begins demolition of empty Taupō Quay buildings

Demolition has begun on three buildings on the corner of Taupo Quay and Moutoa Quay. Photo / Supplied

Three buildings sitting near the banks of the Whanganui River are set to be demolished, with work officially beginning this week.

The buildings are located on the corner of Taupō and Moutoa Quays and back on to the riverfront.

Whanganui District Council chief executive Kym Fell said the buildings were not significant, but the land they sat on was significant to iwi and the wider community, being near the Whanganui River, riverfront boardwalk and the base of the paddle steamer Waimarie.

There have been buildings on the site since 1908. The current buildings were erected in the early 1950s, with extensions added in the 1980s. Most recently they have been used as workshops.

"The buildings have a fairly long history of owners and tenants," Fell said.

"They are now in very poor condition and are functionally obsolete.

"They don't enhance the aesthetic and physical environment of our riverfront area and are no longer economically viable in terms of commercial rental."

The council said once the demolition was complete, the area would be grassed over before consultation was carried out to determine the future of the site.