Two properties lined up for The Block NZ: And they couldn't be any more dissimilar
Warner Bros own a four unit town house complex in Auckland's Hobsonville.
The production company behind The Block is buying up properties for the reality television hit, with at least two sites being prepared for filming.
Warner Bros has properties in a new subdivision in Auckland's Hobsonville, while it grapples with a historic fire station in Kingsland. The properties are both rumoured to be used for The Block, but producers won't comment on why they've decided to buy in two separate locations.
The company has permission to build five apartments in the inner city suburb's iconic fire station.
When Stuff visited the Kingsland building in November, only interior work was being undertaken.
In the developing suburb of Hobsonville, Warner Bros has purchased a newly built town house complex.
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Property plans released to Stuff show Warner Bros Television intends to film The Block at the Kingsland site.
But Stuff understands it is unlikely to be used this year, despite Warner Bros buying the property in August last year and receiving Auckland Council resource consent to film The Block there.
Both Warner Bros and channel Three owner MediaWorks have declined to comment. They say all will be revealed in due course.
The old Kingsland Fire Station is being redeveloped by television production company Warner Bros.
It appears, however, that the old fire station is far from ready to have amateur reality television contestants renovate it.
The building has been gutted and its roof removed. Work has been ongoing since at least November last year. When Stuff visited in April, construction workers lined scaffolding and the building remained without a roof.
Luckily for Warner Bros, it has another safer option. Its other property in Hobsonville is looking fine.
The old Kingsland Fire Station is without a roof.
The production company bought a row of town houses in a new Hobsonville subdivision; 21, 23, 25, and 27 Frances Bryers Rd.
The town houses appear to be three stories each, possibly with a fourth sun roof mezzanine level.
WHAT'S GOING ON IN KINGSLAND?
Warner Bros bought the old fire station building in August for $2,760,000.
The site had been contaminated with methamphetamine during its time as an 18-room boarding house. But those tennants were evicted pre-sale, in April, according to a former tennant.
Work is underway to ready the Kingsland property for production.
At the end of January, Warner Bros' application for resource consent was approved.
Their application included details of filming for The Block, with Auckland Council granting the company just 30 consecutive days to film the programme.
In previous seasons The Block was filmed over 12 weeks.
The 18-room property would also be converted into five apartments, plans showed. According to architects' drawings the roof would make way for a new level. An entire floor made of metal cladding would sit atop the traditional brick building, fitting with new developments at the back of the building too.
Although well known in the area, the old fire station was not listed as a heritage building.
The approved resource consent detailed specific requirements for filming.
The Kingsland building has been gutted.
No work would be undertaken on Sundays and construction work must finish by 6pm, the document said.
It also said only three film crews, and up to six production crews, would be on site. All filming had to finish by 10pm, it said.
The consent form went as far as to dictate the use of drones and promised that a sheet would shield neighbours from on site lighting .
The Block will return to Auckland.
"The use of a drone may create adverse noise effects, however this will only be used intermittently, anticipated to be once a fortnight," the document said.
In October, after a successful season of The Block 2017, MediaWorks confirmed another season would air in 2018.
- Stuff
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