More than a century after Thomas Spain had noted architect Edmund Anscombe draw up plans for the Earnscleugh homestead, also known as Spain’s Folly and now Earnscleugh Castle, the current owners have received consent to plaster the building's exterior, as noted in the original 1919 design.

Marco Creemers and Ryan Sanders purchased the property last year, with the intention of renovating it in keeping with the “faded glamour” of the original building and design. 

The couple relocated from Auckland and are living in the renovated and warm coach house out back of the main building, while work goes on in the long-neglected castle.

An artist’s impression of Earnscleugh Castle as it would look if left unplastered

This week, they received approval from the Central Otago District Council (CODC) to plaster over the majority of the existing brick exterior, as was intended in the original plan but never completed. 

“We are over the moon,” Marco said of the drawn-out decision. “It’s a big relief.”

Marco Creemers, left, and Ryan Sanders out front of Earnscleugh Castle

Finishing the building as originally intended seemed an obvious part of the renovations, but the council considered those plans a discretionary activity and, despite support from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, required a notified resource consent.

This slowed the renovations and added hundreds of thousands of dollars in reports and fees to the already sizable cost.

A section of brickwork would be left unplastered to retain a record of the building’s unfinished state, but as the bricks were never intended to remain unplastered so seconds were used, the building would deteriorate if left as is.

“Spain and his architect Anscombe planned the plastering,” Marco said.

The council hearing panel agreed, after an initial extension on its decision, stating that “the heritage values of the Earnscleugh Homestead building will be maintained through 

this proposal, that there are various positive effects, and, that overall, the effect of the land 

use activity on the environment is appropriate”.

Marco said they hoped to begin the plastering later this year.

“We’re now six months behind but hopefully we will have all the windows sealed and completed over winter and we can start the plastering in summer.”