Hastings District Council has told Massive Music School to remove its colourful sign as it lacks the resource consent necessary for buildings in the heritage precinct. Photo / Gianina Schwanecke
Hastings District Council has told Massive Music School to remove its colourful sign as it lacks the resource consent necessary for buildings in the heritage precinct. Photo / Gianina Schwanecke
Treble is brewing at a new music school in Hastings, and a dinosaur sign is in the centre of it.
Massive Music School is in trouble with Hastings District Council, which has called for the school's sign - a guitar-playing, lizard-like "monster" with a moustache - to be removed asit lacks the resource consent necessary for buildings in the heritage precinct.
Daniel Scannell, a former New Zealand School of Music student, started the school to provide a space for children in the community to learn an instrument.
"The main motivation is to give them a space - it's more for the community.
"It's a local space for local people by local people."
The school opened this year with four tutors offering lessons in guitar, piano, bass guitar, drums, clarinet, saxophone and vocals to about 14 youths ranging in age from 5 to 16.
Massive Music School's sign features a colourful guitar-playing, lizard-like 'monster' with a moustache to make music 'fun' Daniel Scannell says. Photo / Gianina Schwanecke
A guitar playing lizard-like "monster", designed by local comic artist Ryan Scott, greets students as they come through the door of the pre-Art Deco building on Queen St East.
Last week Scannell was asked to remove the sign as he did not have a resource consent for it and the building is part of a heritage precinct.
He doubted the council would approve the design and said the possible cost of redesigning their branding, remaking signs and reapplying for resource consent would push the business into financial hardship.
"[Branding is] 50 per cent of the business. That and reputation."
He understood heritage buildings needed to be protected with legislation, but he felt this took it too far.
"I get it," he said.
"You don't want a company coming in to paint the building neon green."
Daniel Scannell, of Massive Music School in Hastings, said the potential cost of having to rebrand and reapply for resource consent would cost the business greatly. Photo / Gianina Schwanecke
But he said overly rigid rules would discourage businesses filling the many other vacant buildings in Hastings.
"It's hurting the CBD.
"I imagine it is a huge deterrent to people wanting to set up a business."
A Hastings District Council spokesperson said all signs in the central precinct needed resource consent.
"This is a timely reminder that the rules for signs within the Central Character Precinct of the Hastings CBD are there to protect and be sympathetic to the heritage character and those buildings within the area."
Massive Music School is located in a 1914 building on Queen St East, within the Central Character Precinct of the Hastings CBD. Photo / Gianina Schwanecke
The spokeswoman said the design of the sign would be assessed against the district plan rules in the process of applying for a resource consent.
"We are unsure if the sign, in its current state, will meet the criteria."
Council planners would only be able to make an assessment once the application was submitted and they had all information, she said.
She encouraged people to contact the council or check its website for further advice.
