The lovely French Gothic-style beauty reopened with a special service on Thursday after being left to the vagaries of time for almost 40 years.

Saving beauty

Built in 1929, the chapel boasts a marble altar, stained-glass windows and a soaring ceiling.

The chapel is considered one of the most important interiors in New Zealand, certainly in Wellington.

Much work was needed to save and strengthen it.

Ian Cassels

Ian Cassels, who bought the abandoned site in 2000, looked to develop it into housing but ran into opposition from heritage groups.

In 2018 the Environment Court ruled he could demolish the school buildings but not the chapel — which had to be saved and strengthened.

"It's been a 23-year struggle" Cassles told 1News.

Cassels said he was "deliriously happy" with how it looked but regretted the legal battle.

"We always knew we'd be here one day. And yeah, it's wonderful."

Returning it to its former glory has cost Cassels at least $7 million - about twice the amount he expected.

"My partner and I, Caitlin Taylor and myself, we are basically the ones paying for it."

Cassels says it has been a privilege to restore this building.

"We can't get away from our past, we must honour it and cherish it and do that. But it's left to individuals basically.

"It really is a big question in New Zealand. Like, heritage should be supported and funded by the community, but that doesn't happen."

Nicola Young

Nicola Young, a former pupil and now a Wellington City Councillor, has also been very instrumental in the chapel's restoration.

She has seen it come full circle.

"It's a wonderful venue," she said.

"I hope that I have my funeral here - but not yet" she emphasised with a grin.

Young calls the restored chapel a fantastic asset to the city.

The chapel was once part of Erskine College, a Catholic girls' school that closed in 1985. Now 97 townhouses occupy the former school grounds.

Young says the project is a "huge win" for housing.

"We need to do more of this kind of thing and make it easier for people that want to do it."

As a visitor to the Chapel at Sunday's open day was overheard saying, "See good things happen."

Heritage stamp of approval

Heritage New Zealand's Jamie Jacobs says the chapel building was of huge significance.

"This chapel is one of the most important interiors in New Zealand, certainly Wellington. It's one of the finest French Gothic buildings probably anywhere," he says.

In answering a question from 1News about conserving old buildings, Jacobs replied, "Everything doesn't need to be saved but a lot of things should be saved."

A well-attended open day was held on Sunday, and now the chapel can be hired as a venue for weddings and events.

Source

• 1News

The plan is part of a proposed $30 million 94-townhouse development.

Councillor Andy Foster, chairman of the transport and urban development committee, said early estimates that put the costs of the houses between $500,000 and $700,000 might appeal to first-home buyers.

Previous owners of the Erskine site, the Hibernian Catholic Benefit Society put forward a plan to build and sell houses for under $1000,000 and also to preserve the grounds and save the chapel says a former manager of the Hibernians in a letter to the editor in Saturday's DomPost.

He asks why Foster opposed that plan.

Councillor Nichola Young, who is an alumna of Erskine College, when asked to comment said that because of the the earthquakes in Christchurch, "seismic issues very different now."

The Erskine complex was purchased by the Hibernians in 1986.

They parcelled off land around the edges of the site and sold it for residential housing.

The Hibernian Society planned to eventually develop the Erskine site as a retirement village.

In 1992, however, the Hibernian Society submitted an application for resource consent to strengthen the chapel walls, which would be needed if the other part of the proposed work was carried out: the demolition of the main convent building.

This proposal stirred up a huge amount of feeling amongst the community. and gave rise to the formation of the Save Erskine College Trust.

Read more about this

Reaction to the present proposal.

In response to an inquiry the Save Erskine College Trust Inc said, " a general statement will be made via our website and/or Facebook in due course"

Island Bay Residents Association president Vicki Greco said the association was pleased the Cassels' company had decided to make plans available.

It would allow the community to talk about any issues that arose around the plans she said.

Heritage NZ central region general manager Claire Craig said the organisation hoped to maintain a "constructive dialogue" with Cassels about his proposal.

"We also look forward to hearing the views that the council, as decision maker, receives as feedback from the community on the proposal for the chapel and the removal of the main building."

A council spokesman said it received a formal application for the development only last week.

"Our planners still have several weeks in which to consider the application - which is complex. If consent is given, then the developer will have 12 months to get the project under way."

The Erskine College site was declared a special housing area in April 2015.

The 2013 Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act stipulates a streamlined consenting timeframe, including a reduction in notification provisions and appeal rights.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz