Tallest hotel since quakes gets go-ahead

Thursday, 7 November 2024

An artist's impression of the new hotel planned for 48 Peterborough St, Christchurch.

An 11-storey hotel which will be one of the tallest new buildings in central Christchurch since the earthquakes has been approved.

Construction is due to start on the Peterborough St project early next year, after being granted resource consent by the city council.

The development is now owned by Possum Ridge Ltd, a new property development company registered in August. It is co-owned by Doug Walker of Christchurch and Kenneth McGrath of Auckland.

Possum Ridge bought the land two months ago and took over the project from GCO Group, headed by Andrew Bendemski, which first launched the development.

The price paid has not yet been disclosed, although in January when the land previously changed hands the price was $4.9 million.

The new hotel will have 148 rooms, with a lobby, bar and restaurant on the ground floor.

The vacant site is just west of Victoria St and used for car parking.

The hotel will be the tallest built in Christchurch since the earthquakes. Two taller post-quake buildings are the new Waipapa building at Christchurch Hospital, and the Grand Central office building in Cashel St.

Walker said they are in discussions with a preferred hotel chain about who will run it.

“It’s a great project and it is really tracking quite nicely,” he said.

“At the moment, demand [for hotel accommodation] is certainly outstripping supply. We’re confident about what we are doing.”

The 4.5 star hotel has been planned with 148 rooms, plus a lobby, restaurant and bar on the ground floor.

Its design incorporates curved glazed corners, and a curved screen made of brass rods covering part of the building.

Walker said some minor internal changes to the original design are being made, but it will essentially look the same.

The Peterborough street site, pictured in 2017 when new apartments were planned. The land is now used for car parking.

Prior to the earthquakes the land was home to luxury apartment tower the Est@blishment, which was demolished in 2012.

A plan to rebuild the tower with 62 apartments was approved but did not proceed due to inadequate sales.

The Peterborough St hotel project will bring the number of new hotel rooms in the pipeline for Christchurch to about 680.

NZ Hotel Holdings is planning to build a 13-level hotel on the corner of Manchester and Cashel streets, Citadel Properties Ltd plans is seeking consent to put a 200-room hotel on the old Harley Chambers site, and the former Rydges on Oxford Tce will be revamped and reopened as a joint venture by Auckland’s Russell Property Group and Canterbury’s Mainland Capital.