Demolition Consent Granted For Former Briscoes Building
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Invercargill City Council has granted a resource consent for the demolition of the fire-damaged former Briscoes building at 104-106 Dee Street, Invercargill.
The building was significantly damaged by fire in September 2023. Safety measures, including shipping containers and restrictions on footpath access, have remained in place to protect the public.
The hearing for the consent was held on 15 October, presided by Independent Hearing Commissioner Paula Costello.
In her decision, released on Friday, she granted consent for demolition, after considering evidence about the building’s heritage significance, structural condition, options for retaining all or part of it, the costs of those options, and measures to manage the effects of demolition.
The building, which dates back to 1882, is listed as a Category 2 historic place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Treasure and is protected under the Invercargill City District Plan.
Acting Mayor Grant Dermody said the news was a positive step towards resolving an issue that had affected the city centre for several years.
“The building has been a blight on our city centre for the past three years, and we know its condition has had a significant impact on surrounding businesses and the wider area.
“It has been a long road to get to this point, and we understand the frustration around how long the process has taken. This is a positive step forward and provides a clear pathway towards a resolution. It is encouraging to see progress being made towards getting the site tidied up and moving this part of our city centre forward.”
The consent includes a range of conditions governing the demolition process and future redevelopment of the site. Key requirements include heritage protection and salvage, archaeological monitoring, vibration management and protection of neighbouring buildings, environmental and traffic management, and heritage design and interpretation requirements for any future replacement building.
The consent includes specific requirements for identifying, recording and salvaging significant heritage features and materials from the building, where they can be safely accessed and reused.
Following demolition, the site must be cleared, made safe and maintained in a tidy condition until a replacement building, which aligns with the Invercargill City Centre Heritage Guidelines 2025, is constructed.
The decision and supporting documents are available on the Invercargill City Council website: 104–106 Dee Street resource consent. https://www.icc.govt.nz/news-events/public-notices?item=id%3A2vfxavtqs17q9s4tskkm