Town Hall Heritage Restoration

About the project

Work is underway to restore the exterior of the Municipal Chambers, Glenroy Auditorium and Town Hall building complex. The restoration project first began in 2024. The work involves the restoration of the building façade and slate roofing, and repair and refurbishment of the windows and exterior walls, including its ornate fixtures, stonework, lead and copper flashings, timber, and paintwork.

The Octagon-facing Municipal Chambers building is listed as a Category 1 Heritage building and is the only substantial town hall of the Victorian period remaining in New Zealand that still aims to serve a municipal purpose. A team of specialist trades people will be working closely together, employing traditional skills and materials to ensure that a quality, sustainable and faithful restoration is carried out.

What’s happening now?

Due to the size and scale of the work, the project has been broken down into four stages that first began in 2024.

Why is this happening?

The Municipal Chambers building was constructed in 1880, and the addition of the Dunedin Town Hall was finished in 1930 after a two year construction period. Over time, the buildings have gone through various renovations and adjustments; the most significant of which took place in the late 1980s and then again in the early 2010s. The buildings have been maintained over the years, but are continuing to show signs of age and environmental exposure, and significant work is needed to restore the degrading exterior.

The project aims to address these issues and give this iconic building the proper attention it deserves to breathe life back into it, and preserve its historical significance for future generations.

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