The six-storey Atkinson Building was constructed next to the old post office at 139-141 Devon Street West to house New Plymouth’s government employees – the staff of the Ministry of Works, the Forest Service and the departments of Lands and Survey, Labour, Justice, Audits and Agriculture.
The 50,000 square foot (4000 square metres) building was designed by Government architect Fergus Sheppard, assistant Government architect John Blake-Kelly and Whanganui district architect Nelson Carnell. The contract was won by Roebuck Construction Limited and the foundation stone was laid on Thursday 3 November 1966 by local MP Ernest Aderman.
Costing just under £425,000, the building was officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister John (Jack) Marshall on Thursday 3 October 1968.
The Atkinson Building was named after Sir Harry Albert Atkinson (1831-1892), a Taranaki farmer who went on to serve four terms as New Zealand’s premier (prime minister). Atkinson’s grandson was present at the opening.
Purchased by Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa (Te Kotahitanga) in April 2022, the Atkinson Building was by that time home to New Plymouth’s Family Court, several solicitors and barristers and the Insight Learning Academy. It had previously provided office space for judges from the nearby courthouse until refurbishments were made to the court in 2016.
Te Kotahitanga took up the Deferred Selection Property option to purchase the building as part of its Treaty settlement with the aim of turning the building into a central hub for Taranaki Māori businesses of all sizes. It was officially opened on 24 February 2024 with the new name Ngāmotu House.
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