Work stopped on Levin site intended for a proposed regional repository

4 July 2024

Through Budget 2020, the Department received funding to source and select a site for a proposed regional repository to provide additional storage for Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga Archives New Zealand holdings and Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa the National Library of New Zealand collections. The site in Levin was acquired in 2020.

In 2022, work was completed on the design and development of the plans for use of the site as a repository.

The economic and fiscal environment has changed considerably from when the design of the regional facility was commissioned. The Department was not successful in securing further funding for the construction and operation of the repository, and so the work has stopped.

The institutions are considering new ways of working together to maximise their shared property footprint and to develop shared digital capabilities. This will improve long-term efficiency and make their collections more accessible for all New Zealanders.

No decisions have been made about the future of the land purchased by the Department for the proposed site.