1951 - Purchase
Victoria College, now Victoria University, extends onto Town Belt land. Wellington City Council purchase The Halfway House and associated land with Crown funds paid in compensation for the encroachment.
The City Council intend to develop a reserve however the land is not used for recreational activity. It is used as a Water Treatment Plant for sewage from 1962-1989. The Halfway House is rented out. The last tenant is George William Ralph Poulsen, who lives there from 1978 until he dies on 3rd February 1995.
1978 - Retain for future reserve
"This property in Middleton Road was inspected by the Historic Places Sub Committee of Wellington City Council and there was a discussion about it at the meeting held on 15 October."
"The original proposal the Committee had in mind was that the property should be sub-divided and that the house be sold to someone who might have an interest in renovating it. However following a discussion with the Director of Parks I recommended the house not be sold since it could be required in the future when the area is developed as a reserve."
"The committee accepted this recommendation but noted that the building needed restoring and was concerned that it appeared to be in such a sorry state of repair. This appeared to be due to the fact that the tenant keeps a large number of greyhounds."
"The Sub Committee moved that Half Way House be investigated with a view to its upgrading. Can you please let me know what you propose to do about the building so I can, in due course, report back to the Sub Committee."
Memo from K. V Clarke. City Planner to the Town Clerk. Wellington City Council Archives, 00001-67/73 (p. 20).
1979 - Listed as historic building
The Halfway House is listed as a historic building in the Review of the District Scheme.
Memorandum dated 8 August 1979 from K V Clarke, City Planner to Town Clerk, Attention Housing and Property Branch Mr Redman.
Wellington City Council Archives Record Identifier 2843 (28/6/65) Date Range 1979-1991.
4 September 1979 - Sell or retain?
K.V. Clarke, City Planner, writes to the City Surveyor asking for what purpose the Halfway House and adjoining land was acquired by Council and whether the Halfway House could be subdivided off and sold. The Chief Surveyor Ian MacLean (who lived in the Halfway House from 1956-1961) responds:
"It was bought at the request of the then Mayor, Sir Robert Macalister with a future recreation area in view on the grounds that when the City expanded into this area land would be prohibitively expensive….…I believe that some years ago the whole area was used as a small golf course and in view of its proximity to the City this may well be an appropriate use for the area when the sewage treatment plant is no longer required.
"A person familiar with Golf Course Geography could assess its suitability for such a purpose quite readily. Before the disposition of the house proposal is taken too far the ultimate use of the whole area should be considered, as the old house may be a very suitable adjunct to various recreational possibilities, i.e. pavilion, club house etc."
I. D. Maclean Chief Surveyor to K.V. Clarke, City Planner. 4 September 1979. Wellington City Council Archives, 00277-2843 (28/6/65) (p. 11).
1990 - Business Park Proposal
The Downer/EBDU Joint Venture Glenside Business Park Proposal report was presented to the Economic Development and City Promotion Committee in February 1990. It was signed by R.H. Healy, Manager Economic Business Development Unit and P.A. Rama, City Solicitor. Healy and Rama made no mention the land was purchased with compensation funds paid for Town Belt encroachment. They said it was land purchased for a cemetery (which is not true). Their report also incorrectly stated that the Halfway House structure had been moved several times and wasn’t on its original location. The prospective market for the site included IT industries, medical services and centres, and industrial village, a commercial village, and residential housing.
The landscape plan showed that the access road to Churton Park housing development would go from the new motorway interchange, through the business park, through the Halfway House, and through the middle of housing in the Glenside village.
From N.S. Cowan, City Treasurer and P.D. Dawson, city Secretary, to the Town Clerk. Report to the Economic Development and City Promotion Committee. Downer/EBDU Joint Venture Glenside Business Park Proposal. 26 February 1990. Glenside Progressive Assn. archive.
1989 - 1990 Dispute over land use
Disputes between Parks and Reserves and other City Council Departments over the future use of Glenside Reserve result in Glenside residents asking for an Audit Office investigation into City Council. The report is released on 10 October 1990. Extracts below.
1990 - Audit Office outcome
“It is in our opinion that in respect of its legal status, the Glenside land is still a reserve for public (recreation) purposes. We base our opinion on the following information:
(a) The purchase of the land as a recreation reserve was partially funded from money paid over by the Crown in compensation for the taking of Town Belt land.
(b) The Town Belt land was established by the Wellington (City) Town Belt Reserves Act 1908 for use as a “Public Reserve”.
(c) The intent of the Crown at the time of negotiation between themselves and the Wellington City Council was to protect the status of any money paid over by insisting that it must be held in trust by Council and be applied for municipal purposes in accordance with the provisions of section 36 of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Act 1949."
“Should Council, after taking into consideration the needs of the community and the objectives of the District Scheme, wish to use the land for purposes other than recreation, then it would be necessary to notify all interested parties through the normal channels of communication i.e. by public notification.”
Letter and Audit Office Report from T.P.H. Emo to Sheryl P. Hayman, Glenside Action Group. Report on ratepayer concerns regarding the administration of Glenside land and Churton Park sub-division Stage 20. 5 October 1990. Glenside Progressive Association Inc. archives.
12 July 1991 Property Report for 246 Middleton Road
Brief: To carry out an inspection of the above property and advise on upgrading the house to a medium level of finish and fittings in accordance with current standards.
Burwell Hunt Architects. Property Report…246 Middleton Road. 12 July 1991. Wellington City Council Archives, 00444-6/32/4 Part 2 (pp 29-34)
1993 - Twigland "swap and sell" proposal
In 1993, a subdivision of the Downer and Company Ltd land enabled Twigland Gardeners World to purchase the area of Section 23, occupying the old 1849 – 1891 Halfway House site. Plantwood-Twigland Garden Centre propose to Wellington City Council, that they lease the Halfway House and utilise the grounds for the garden centre. The proposed "swap sell" seeks that Council sell nearly half the section (1045 square metres) to the garden centre. The boundary would be a diagonal slice across the front lawn of the Halfway House section. Before the letter is responded to by Wellington City Council, Twigland proceed with a public notification of resource consent for the garden centre and cafe in the Halfway House.
Wellington City Council Archives, 00444-6/32/4 Part 2
1993 - Twigland "riding roughshod"
Notitification of Application for Resource Consent
Name of applicant: Twigland Garden Centre Ltd
Location of Site: 238-246 Middleton Road, Johnsonville
Description of Application: Consent is sought to construct a retail garden centre on the site of 238-246 Middleton Road, Johnsonville. The development principally consists of the conversion of two existing buildings to retail and office space, and the construction of two further buildings for retail/cafe purposes, a car- park ( 42 spaces) and outdoor storage facilities. The property is zoned Industrial B2, within which retail garden centres are non- complying activities.
Consent is also sought to use the building at 246 Middleton Road, known as the 'Half-way House' as a cafe. The 'Half-way House' is scheduled as a historic building in the District Plan. The property is zoned Open space E, within which cafe's are a non- complying activity.
If you wish to make a submission on this application you may do so by sending a written
submission to the Council, addressed to the General Manager, Environment Division [etc] no later than 4.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 4 August 1993.
Wellington City Council Archives, 00444-6/32/4 Part 2
15 July 1993 - Council concern
Extract from letter of Roger Still, Lands Management & Development Manager for Wellington City Council to Wynne Paterson McLeod, Registered Surveyors, Attn. Russell Paterson.
"I note that your clients have in fact applied for a resource consent to construct and operate a garden centre and that this has been publicly advertised. It came as somewhat of a surprise to learn that a resource consent had also been sought to use the half-way house as a cafe. Notification of the half-way house proposal has caused some concern with Councillors, the existing tenant and the park overseer who were not aware that such a proposal was even being contemplated."
"While I have personally been aware that inclusion of the half-way house in your overall plans was an option, I am disappointed that, as a courtesy, you and/or your client did not consider it necessary to formally advise this Division that this was to occur. It is accepted that leasing and land exchange options have not been resolved, and that we have taken somewhat longer than normal to respond to your letter, but simply advising this Division of your intentions in respect of the resource consent application might have meant that key people could have been notified in advance."
The community objected and the proposed cafe and land lease did not proceed.
Wellington City Council Archives, 00444-6/32/4 Part 2
Liddle’s solicitors then proposed that a large area of Halfway House land owned by Council be leased, or exchanged for a small area of stream esplanade, with a cash difference paid to Council. This is not happen either.
Letter from S.J. Treadwell, Treadwell Stacey Smith Barristers and Solicitors to The Manager, Culture & Recreation. 14 October 1993. Wellington City Council Archives, 00444-6/32/4 Part 2 (pp 15-17)
11 October 1993 - Demolish the Halfway House
Recommendation: It is the considered opinion of the writer that the building has been allowed to deteriorate that any monies needed to upgrade to a livable standard would be wasted, therefore I recommend that an application be made to demolish the building.
Memo from Kevin Doyle Clerk of Works to Roger Still, Parks Planner. 11 October 1993. Wellington City Council Archives, 00444-6/32/4 Part 2 (p. 35-36).
1997 - Heritage listing mix up
Wellington City Council, when preparing new heritage listings, confuse Nott House at 400 Middleton road with the Halfway House at 246 Middleton Road. Nott House is given the address 246 Middleton Road and in some correspondence, is referred to as the Halfway House.
Michael Hartfield, The Policy Analyst (Heritage) identifies that the sketches and photographs of Nott House are not the Halfway House, however in his correspondence he uses the address 246 Middleton Road and as this is the address mistakenly given to Nott House by Council, it's unclear which property he is referring to. The incorrect addresses are not corrected on the District Plan.
Wellington City Council Archives, 00726-1041-04-08-10 Vol 1
1998 - Sell for office space, Cafe and carparks?
Cnr. Judy Seirs submits wording and images for an Information Board sponsored by the Wellington Historical and Early Settlers' Association Inc. about the Halfway House "we are now selling" to Michael Hartfield. She supports other's views that it is not moved from its site.
Michael Hartfield in an email to Cnr. Judy Seirs, suggests "an excllent outcome" would be for the adjcacent garden centre to purchase the Halfway House and surrounding land for carparks and potential office space and cafe if the original owners did not wish to buy it back. He suggests attaching conditions to the Title to "ensure heritage merits are respected and retained".
Wellington City Council Archives, 00726-1041-04-08-10 Vol 1