WCC, Registers of building permits, Wellington City and former boroughs

Descriptive Data

Archives Identifier00334Date Range1888-1961DescriptionThis incomplete series contains 17 of the registers created when building permits were issued by Wellington City and various boroughs or parts of boroughs that amalgamated with it. They register the permits now in series 00043 and 00046-00058. The volumes taken over by Wellington City Council on amalgamation continued to be used by it up until February/March 1922.

The Building Bylaw in 1888 required that the Council keep a register of applications, and the 1892 bylaw added that a copy of the plans must be deposited permanently with each application. The first register shows that the earliest permits listed (1888- December 1889) were not consistently numbered. Irregular number systems existed until February 1892 when registrations began for permits 'issued under Building Bylaw passed 7th January 1892'. (Note: There are no actual permits, plans or indexes extant before 1892.) After the initial numbers, there were further A, B and C series of numbers. Registers for permits B19600 (September 1939) to B26950 (June 1948) are missing, and there is no register for permits after June 1961, or number C8670 (though there are indexes by street up to 1989). The earliest Onslow register and the original Miramar register are also missing.

The entries record permits for all buildings and constructions - residential and business - including garages, glass houses, additions, alterations, sign boards, and even for a circus tent. The entries are set out over a double page spread in pre-printed headed columns. The descriptive elements vary over time but can include permit number; locality of work; applicant's name and address; owner; estimated value of work; nature of work; date application received; date permit issued; fees paid; and remarks. At first the remarks column was used to describe the building, such as fowl house, glass house, new dwelling. Sometimes the remarks column contains payment figures, often with cross-references to cash book folio numbers, the amount banked and the cash book (C.B.) page number. After 1922, building permit information was also entered onto a card system. Early (1892-1922) and former borough registrations were entered retrospectively onto the cards.Quantity (Linear Metres)2.46MediumBound VolumeSystem of ArrangementBy permit number, roughly chronological by date of application. Indexes in a few volumes only, see Series 00335.Collection TypeWellington City Council

Series

Access Information

Restriction StatusOpen

Related Agencies

Controlling or Creating AgencyCity Engineer's DepartmentRelationship Date Range1923-1972

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WCC, Registers of building permits, Wellington City and former boroughs