Project: Conservation Plan

With encouragement from Heritage New Zealand, the Lilburn Residence Trust started fundraising in 2104 to commission a conservation plan for the property. As the house is listed as category 1 under the Heritage New Zealand Act, it is important that the Trust ensures that any maintenance and upgrading is carried out in accordance with the historical and cultural values of the residence.

With funding from the Lottery Grants Board, Chris Cochran of Cochran and Murray Conservation Architects was contracted to undertake the work and the plan was completed, with help from Ingrid Gotlieb and others, at the end of 2015. It is a fascinating and comprehensive assessment of over 100 pages that provides:

• an historical and cultural background to the land and building
• a comprehensive breakdown of the heritage value of the house and chattels, and
• a schedule of maintenance and upgrading work to be carried out.

The Plan will be used to guide the Trustees' care of the property over the coming years.

Shortly before his death in May 2015, founding trustee, Jack Body, wrote a prologue to the Plan in which he concludes,

The Lilburn Residence has become a most notable landmark on our musical landscape – the first, and still the only physical residence for New Zealand composers in the country. Registered as a heritage building, its future is assured. If and when a history of this distinguished home is written it will make interesting reading not only for the building itself, but also for the chronicle of the many composers who have lived and worked there.

A postscript to this valuable and successful project is that as a result, Chris Cochran has become a trustee and will help with the Plan's implementation.