The Petone Neighbourhood Hub is moving to a new location at 284 Jackson St, on the corner of Jackson and Queen Streets.

It's expected the new location will open in early June, to provide interim library, postal and other services to the community while the existing building in Britannia Street is closed.

The Britannia Street building was due to close by the end of May, initially for repairs to be undertaken. However, in February Council decided to pause the repair project and reconsider future plans for the Hub as part of the next Long-Term Plan, acknowledging that the capped $5M budget would not be sufficient to meet all renewals required.

Around 40% of the building had already been closed due to mould and weathertightness issues, and temporary measures had been put in place to manage structural issues in the atrium.

Council Chief Executive Jo Miller says while closing the Hub is not a decision anyone wanted to make, securing a new location ensures continuity of service.

“We know the important role the Hub plays in the Petone community, and we have worked hard to find another location that works for everyone.”

Funding to repair the Hub was included in the Long-Term Plan 2024-34 where Council agreed to cap budgets across several major Petone projects, including remediation of the Hub, investment in the Petone Wharf, and upgrades at the Petone Grandstand.

Mayor Ken Laban says the situation shows the pressure council is under to keep its budgets in check.

“The Hub has been the heartbeat of Petone for a long time and is as much a meeting place as it is a library or service centre. I'm pleased we've found a financially responsible way to keep that heartbeat going.”

The long-term future of the Britannia St site will be considered as part of Council deliberations to inform the Long-Term Plan 2027-37.

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