Christchurch Wizard to Celebrate Historic Building's 150th Birthday

The Christchurch Wizard, CERA and other invited guests are set to celebrate the 150th birthday of Chippenham Lodge this Saturday and launching a fundraising campaign to bring it back from the brink.

The building was originally built in 1862 and is attributed to the first official Provincial Architect of Canterbury, Benjamin Mountfort. It is one of a rare few buildings in Christchurch that was built in the style of the Gothic Revival movement.

After suffering structural damage in the Canterbury Earthquakes the building is still standing. It has been accessed by Senior Heritage Engineer, Alistair Cattanach, from Dunning Thornton Consultants. He states that, "The basic integrity of the building is in tact making Chippenham Lodge an ideal candidate for restoration." Fundraising efforts to bring the building back to it's former glory are being launched at this birthday event.

Celebrations will include people dressed in Victorian attire, a jazz band and a giant cake with 150 candles will mark this auspicious occasion.

Members of the press are invited to join us in this celebration this Saturday the 24th of November from 3pm, with cake at 4pm, at the grounds of Chippenham Lodge at 51 Browns Road, Merrivale.

ENDS

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Scoop Business: Bathurst Gets Nod For DoC Access To Denniston Mine

Conservation Minister Nick Smith has approved access over conservation estate land for Bathurst Resources to develop an open cast coal mine on the Denniston Plateau, above Westport, to the dismay of environmental opponents.

The timing for Smith’s move avoids Bathurst having to resubmit applications for access agreements under the revised Crown Minerals Act, which comes into force tomorrow and would have required public consultation.

The announcement lands in the middle of delicate negotiations between the company, environmental groups and other interested parties that could pave the way to a broader agreement on the Escarpment proposal, whose resource consents are still subject to court appeals. More>>