Heritage Devonport has called on council to review a contentious development consent granted to a heritage beachside house.
A heritage protection group in a seaside Auckland suburb is challenging a council consenting decision allowing the supersizing of a beachfront, heritage-listed property.
Consent was granted for plans to build a house extension, swimming pool and vehicle turntable on land beside a house on Oxford Terrace, in Devonport. The renovations involve an approximate doubling in size of the existing building.
The house is listed as a category B building on Auckland Council's schedule of historic heritage.
Devonport Heritage has called the decision "absolutely disappointing" and on Friday chairperson Trish Deans sent an official complaint to Auckland Mayor Phil Goff.
In the letter of complaint, Deans asked the council to review the "controversial planning decision".
"At present Auckland Council's policies and resulting actions imply that there is a climate of casual indifference and disregard for the protection of our heritage," she wrote.
The renovations would involve an approximate doubling in size of the existing building. Photo / Jason Oxenham.
Talking to the Herald on Sunday, Deans said she believed the decision highlighted inconsistencies across council's planning and heritage teams.
Deans thought public notification should have been a crucial step in the consenting process - to honour the community's right to have a say in the matter.
A decision made in February for the application to proceed on a "publicly notified" basis was later reversed and the application enabled to proceed without notifying the public.
Canavan House was built in 1941 for Graham Routh Canavan of the RNZAF. The latest QV rating valuation from July 1 last year had the house at $7,050,000.
Reports prepared by Auckland Council relating to the consent application noted the house was "somewhat of a landmark on Cheltenham Beach" while the home's heritage listing notes said its currently minimalist surroundings drew attention to its "sentinel-like appearance".
However, plans for development sat within guidelines in both design and scale.
Auckland Council would not comment further to what was said in an statement provided to the Weekend Herald last month - except to say the only way the decision could be revisited, was through a judicial review.
The house at the centre of the dispute is on Oxford Tce, in the Auckland suburb of Devonport.
Mayor Phil Goff, to whom the letter was addressed, was overseas when his office was approached comment.
Last month the leader of Council's Heritage Implementation Team, Rebecca Fogel, said she was aware some locals were unhappy about the planned additions and alterations.
"While we are sorry to hear that Heritage Devonport is opposed to the plans, we stand by our assessment of this project.
"Auckland Council is committed to protecting heritage and have a team of passionate staff dedicated to this work."
Changes to the notification criteria were due to additional information submitted by the owners as well as changes to the Resource Management Act.
When contacted for comment last month, property owner Nick Hawkins said he had worked extensively with a leading architect to ensure the heritage aspects of the property were maintained.
"We also commissioned a heritage impact assessment from a heritage expert and the conclusion was that the renovation can be seen to have an enhancing effect on the building," Hawkins said.
Hawkins did not want to expand on his initial comment, either.
Heritage Devonport chairwoman Trish Deans outside the historic Esplanade Hotel. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Trish Deans was also worried the decision had potential to cause wider damage.
"If this decision stands it allows other decisions to come in behind it and do the same thing."
She hoped her complaint would prompt council to return to the drawing board to reconsider their decision.
