$10m Georgian-style mansion for Fendalton
Friday, 29 September 2023
A second mega-mansion is going up in Fendalton, this time for one of the city's most successful developers.
Brooksfield co-founder Vinny Holloway is behind plans for a $10 million mansion on Glandovey Rd, about 1km from a Z-shaped mega mansion built recently by Pak'nSave owner Marcel Gray.
Despite its suburban Christchurch location, Holloway’s home will look like the setting of a BBC period drama. Built by his company, the home is for his young family.
The Glandovey Rd construction site is already turning heads because of the building’s size. At 825m² over three storeys, the finished house will be six times the size of the average new Christchurch home. (The Z-shaped house is 950m²).
The grand house has been designed by London-based architect Ben Pentreath to a Georgian design, a symmetrical architectural style dating from 18th century England.
Features of the house will include a central portico supported by pillars, arched and rectangular panelled windows, ornate architraves and trim, a slate roof, and paired chimneys.
Holloway, who is in his late 20s, founded Brooksfield with his business partner Oliver Hickman.
Holloway was reluctant to talk much about his new house, but said they had been planning the build for some years and liked the balance and proportion of Georgian architecture. The neighbours already seem to approve, he said.
“It is being built in a traditional way, with double-hung sash windows and timber construction. But it will all be double glazed and fully insulated.”
“What people love about Fendalton is the grand old homes. This will sit in there nicely.”
Brooksfield has already become known for its heritage-style designs around Christchurch. Its developments have included terraced and free-standing homes and apartments, plus some commercial builds.
The company drew attention last year when it offered to pay new home buyers’ mortgages for a year if they came from outside Christchurch.
Holloway said while he supports density housing, in some parts of the city bigger homes with more land were appropriate.
“Everyone has different budgets.”
Holloway spent just over $3m buying the quarter-hectare property in 2021. It is made up of two sites, one with a Wairarapa Stream frontage. The two houses previously on the land have been demolished but protected trees remain.
Like the exterior the internal layout will also be grand. Building consent documents detail several living areas, a large kitchen with attached scullery, a library, a conservatory, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a coats and boots room, and an entrance hall, garden hall and stair hall.
The home is due for completion late next year. Its total value, including the land, is expected to be about $10m.
Pentreath, who designs most of the company’s homes, has done work for members of the royal family including King Charles and Prince William.
Among its other developments, Brooksfield is building a collection of seven houses at another Glandovey Rd property, the site where Greystones homestead was demolished after the earthquakes.
Glandovey Rd is one of the city’s priciest streets. Opposite Holloway’s property is Tara, the home bought by property investor Tracy Gough five years ago for $6.8m, and that now has a rating valuation of $8.87m.