DON FARMER
Greytown Little Theatre is looking for a new home and has plans to build new premises on council owned land at the south end of West St.
Its present premises at 68 Main St has been classified as being earthquake-prone and this has prompted the committee to look at alternatives.
Chairman John Gilberthorpe is expected to speak to the theatre’s proposal at a meeting of South Wairarapa District Council on Wednesday, and a paper has been prepared for councillors by Amenities Manager Helen McNaught.
The land the theatre is looking to build on would be to the north of the historic railway goods shed towards the eastern end of the site and would be either leased or run on a licence to occupy basis.
At the front of the new building on land extending to the West St road frontage would be an open space which means the theatre would not inhibit views of the old goods shed.
A car park would be developed on the south side of the goods shed which could be used for people visiting both the theatre and the goods shed.
Ms McNaught said there were no other plans for using the land and at the time the goods shed was sold to the Rail Heritage Society the remainder of the land had been land banked.
She said the potential use of the land by Greytown Little Theatre could be seen as a good use of land which otherwise may continue to lay unproductive.
Ms McNaught is recommending to council that it agrees “in principle” to the proposal and authorises council officers to continue working with Greytown Little Theatre on developing a more detailed proposal for final approval.
Over its long history Greytown Little Theatre has put on plays at several venues including the old rifle club rooms in Kempton Street, the old Greytown Town Hall and more recently at 68 Main Street utilising part of what was once the WFCA department store which became Haywrights then Wright Stephensons and in later times a liquor outlet.
