The owners of a derelict coolstores building on the banks of the Pātea River in Taranaki are being put on notice that it is structurally unsound and more must be done to keep people out of it.
Children play in the rubbish strewn building while squatters and vandals have lit fires inside as the 100-year-old building crumbles around them.
The former Pātea Dairy Association coolstore dates back to the late 1800s and the graffiti-daubed concrete structure standing today was built in 1921.
The demise of coastal shipping forced the dairy business to close in 1959 and it has since been used in a variety of ways, but has stood empty for many years.
The South Taranaki District Council has twice served its owners with a dangerous building notices in 2012 and 2020.
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Group manager environmental services Liam Dagg said they had now called in structural engineers.
"We are still waiting on the final report, but the initial indications are that there are significant structural concerns with elements of the building."
The coolstore owners had been required to display signage discouraging people from entering the building, but it is easily accessible and now signs were visible when RNZ visited.
Inside the graffiti-daubed concrete structure which was built in 1921. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Liam Dagg said the building was made up of multiple cells with multiple entry points.
"It's a difficult management issue, so what we are looking to do is investigate whether we can contain the site through hoardings and just blocking the entrances either through fencing or other provisions and in the worst case we may have to look at demolition."
Jacq Dwyer is a member of the Pātea Historical Society and a community board member.
Jacq Dwyer said a safety first approach must be taken. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Dwyer said the building had suffered from neglect.
"It's just the ravages of time that has slowly eroded it, you know, it's 100 years old and it was well built at the time but it hasn't had any maintenance.
"The roofs have fallen in so therefore the side structures have become unstable that's the main thing. The integrity of the structures have been diminished."
A safety first approach must be taken, Dwyer said.
"We're never happy to see a building go but in this case it's a tricky one because in my community board role we do realise it is becoming a dangerous spot.
"We love it looking over the river it's just so aesthetically pleasing but there's always two sides to every story."
The derelict building's exterior. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
The building's owner is Pataka Processors Ltd.
Sole director Inglewood businessman Michael Smart said he had tried to secure the building but to no avail.
"I've spent money tying to keep everything safe there, putting signs up not to go in it and putting netting up over all the openings, but you know it just gets taken down and all the old pump stuff that was part of it got stolen, all the steel's been taken."
Smart said the the army had used it for exercises and there had been a proposal to develop the site, he even had a buyer interested at one stage, but nothing had come of it.
The integrity of the structures have become unstable. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Smart currently had no plans for the building.
"Not a lot at the minute really. Yeah, nothing. It's just sitting there and that's about it at this stage."
The cost of demolition would be out of his reach, Smart said.
Not that everybody is ready to see the coolstores go.
Diana Signal, who was out walking her dogs, remembered playing in the coolstores as a child and had taken her own children through.
"I wouldn't like to see it go it's just always been here and it's just spooky and exciting. There's not really a lot to do with kids in Pātea, so coming down here and having a good explore was cool, not that I'm advocating that children should being do that."
The structural engineer's report to council should be finalised this month.