Demolition of the Hinepare Nurses’ Home and Tuakana Annex begins

Our demolition of the Hinepare Nurses’ Home in Napier – which begins this week (April 26) – will result in about 90 percent of its material being recycled.

As well as the Nurses’ Home, we’re also starting demolition of the Tuakana Annex building. Located on the summit of Mataruahou (Hospital Hill), both buildings are no longer usable and Hinepare poses a risk should an earthquake strike. 

Demolition of the Hinepare Nurses’ Home will take place in stages, with some sections being demolished floor-by-floor using small excavators that will be craned onto the building. Other parts will be pulled down by a high-reach excavator before the foundations are removed by large machinery. Following demolition, the site will be backfilled. 

As the building is mostly concrete, we will be able to crush it down and recycle it for use building things like roads, footpaths and driveways. 

Because the Tuakana site is steep, a digger will be craned onto the property and the building pulled down all at once. We’ll be salvaging any timber that we can from the annex.

Our demolition team will use the latest technology to minimise dust and noise, plus follow best practice when it comes to clearing and disposing of any hazardous waste. 

Hinepare Nurses’ Home and Tuakana Annex are two of around 900 properties across Aotearoa New Zealand that are being held for Treaty settlements. We are responsible for managing and maintaining these properties until Treaty settlement is complete.

Read more about our role in Treaty settlements

Once the demolition of these buildings is complete, the whenua will be offered to Mana Ahuriri to purchase as part of its Treaty settlement.