Taranaki Producers' Butter Store (1936-37)

A permit was granted by the Borough Council to the Taranaki Producers' Freezing Works Company Ltd. on the 18 August 1936 - Jones and Sandford were the builders, and the estimated construction cost was £31,363.

This butter storage section of the Coolstores was opened on Breakwater Road in New Plymouth by the Minister of Agriculture, W. L. Martin, on 6 December 1937.

The complex has been bought by Seaport Land Company who have put forward a $115 million proposal to convert the area into a mix of residential, offices and retail. In 2020 the proposal was turned down by the Environment Court. The company appealed the decision and a second hearing was conducted in August 2022. 

In May 2023 it was announced that a one-off zoning change around Port Taranaki had been approved paving the way for the multi-million dollar redevelopment. However, it appears likely that interested parties (Port Taranaki for example) may appeal the decision.

Related items:

Modern Freezing Works with Huge Storage Capacity (Taranaki Herald 15 October 1953)

They've kept it cool for 75 years (Taranaki Herald 23 October 1976)

A century of service to agriculture (Daily News 7 July 1994)