Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) today announced it will move its Nelson branch and Partners Centre into the new Morrison precinct on Hardy Street, becoming the anchor tenant in one of the city’s biggest CBD redevelopments.

The former Morrison Square complex is being transformed into a mixed-use precinct featuring retail, hospitality, offices, healthcare, a public piazza, laneways, a rooftop venue and boutique accommodation.

BNZ CEO Dan Huggins says the move reflects the bank’s longstanding commitment to Nelson and the wider region.

“We’ve been serving the Nelson community for more than 160 years, and this is a significant investment in BNZ’s future here.

“Morrison is an exciting development for central Nelson, and we’re proud to be part of a project that will bring new activity, businesses and people into the heart of the city.”

BNZ’s current Trafalgar Street premises have served it well, but the bank has been looking for a new site that can be designed to better serve the needs of today’s customers.

The new location will provide a modern, right-sized branch and workplace approximately 200 metres away on Hardy Street, where BNZ opened its first Nelson branch in January 1862.

“Returning to Hardy Street gives this move a special connection to our history, while providing a space designed for how our customers and colleagues bank and work today,” Huggins says.

The move provides a purpose-built home for BNZ’s branch and Partners Centre, with expertise ranging from everyday banking and home lending to specialist support for the region’s businesses and agribusiness.

Opening in mid-2027, the branch will feature a central welcome hub, private meeting rooms and a secure 24/7 ATM lobby, creating an easier-to-navigate space for everything from everyday transactions to home lending and more complex financial conversations.

The new location will also continue to give BNZ business customers free access to its Partners Centre meeting rooms, co-working areas and conferencing facilities. Customers can use the spaces to work, meet clients, collaborate or host events and enjoy a complimentary coffee.

Throughout the construction, the Morrison redevelopment will retain and repurpose a substantial portion of the existing buildings, including the Hardy Street heritage frontage and the former Fields and Newmans buildings that BNZ will occupy.

Once fully developed, in addition to BNZ and Reform Radiology, the development is expected to house around 30 businesses and more than 200 workers across Morrison’s retail, hospitality, offices, healthcare and accommodation businesses.

Morrison Square Development Co owner and director Justin Candish says the completed precinct will comprise more than 8,000 square metres of lettable space, alongside laneways and the open-air Morrison Piazza.

“Morrison will be a destination rather than just a collection of buildings. It will be a great place to work for the staff in businesses based here, and it will be a great place to visit, dine, stay and access banking and healthcare services.

“The piazza will give central Nelson a genuine public space, with the eatery, laneways and hotel all opening onto it, helping keep the CBD active beyond traditional retail hours,” Candish says.

Scott Construction is the main contractor of the development, with 45 local subcontractors and consultants currently involved in the project, with most based in Nelson and Tasman.

Reform Radiology’s medical centre is scheduled to open in March 2027, followed by BNZ’s new branch in mid-2027 and the Morrison Eatery and hospitality precinct in October 2027. The hotel and remaining office and retail space are scheduled to open in December 2027.

The new branch will be open five days a week, Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4pm, with an ATM available 24 hours a day.