The former Catholic girls' boarding school-turned accommodation, wedding venue and conference centre, south of Oamaru, has been owned by Penguin Pacific Ltd since 2017.

Marketed through Bayleys, Teschemakers was listed for sale this month, and is described as "a wonderful opportunity to have a business operation that requires attractive accommodation, spacious conference and meeting rooms within pleasant surroundings and a tranquil setting".

The main building has 18 guest rooms, as well as meeting rooms, a full commercial kitchen and large dining room. There is also a stand alone cottage, old classrooms and dormitories and a chapel on the 10.71ha property. Read more

The dispute dates from August, 2010 when contractors Naylor Love arrived to remove the altar. Continue Reading

The chapel, built in 1916, is on land donated by Ms Scott's grandfather, Peter McCarthy, in 1911 and 1918 for the boarding school. He also donated buildings. The 270-piece altar, from Italy, was donated to the chapel in 1926 by the Hart family.

When the Dominican Sisters sold Teschemakers in 2000, they intended to gift the altar and the chapel's stained glass windows to the Holy Name parish. That intention was formalised by a deed of transfer in 2010.

However the Teschemakers Heritage Protection Society opposes removing the altar and stained glass windows to the Holy Name Parish, contending that the chapel, altar and windows should remain together as an architechtural unit.

In August last year, attempts to remove the altar were thwarted by protesters who obtained an interim enforcement order preventing its removal, which was confirmed by the Environment Court in a decision in October last year after Fr Chamberlain had applied for the order to be set aside.

The Environment Court had already ruled the altar was a fixture, not a chattel, but since that ruling in October last year, Fr Chamberlain had further investigations carried out, including 25 digital radar scans of the altar and its concrete foundation, followed by exploratory drilling. The High Court was asked to hear the additional evidence from those investigations which, it was contended by Fr Chamberlain, showed the altar was not fixed, was a chattel and could be shifted without resource consent. The dispute continues.

Source:

• ODT:
• Image: ODT

Father Mark Chamberlain, of Dunedin North Holy Name parish, late last week lodged an appeal with the High Court against a decision by the Environment Court ruling the altar was "part and parcel of the chapel" and could not be removed without resource consent from the Waitaki District Council.

Fr Chamberlain confirmed to the Otago Daily Times yesterday the High Court appeal on points of law had been lodged, which "absolutely shocked" Oamaru woman Susie Scott who had opposed its removal.

The issue arose last year when it was revealed the altar was to be dismantled and moved to Holy Name Church in Dunedin after it was given to the parish by the Dominican Sisters, who owned the Teschemakers chapel contents.

While those who supported the Teschemakers altar's retention in the chapel were delighted with the court's ruling, Fr Chamberlain was disappointed with the decision.

He could not say whether he would lodge an appeal or apply for resource consent.