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A row has broken out over whether an Epsom house should be protected because of its links to the past.
The Cornwall House site in Claude Rd, owned by the Auckland District Health Board, is being considered for rezoning for sale and possibly development.
The Auckland City Council is due to consider the application at its meeting tonight.
A report recommends the council approve the plan change with several conditions, including maintaining the homestead for no less than 50 years. Relocating the building on the site would be permitted.
Heritage consultant Allan Matson, hired by Claude Rd resident Terrence Dunn to work on the project, described the building as originally a "lovely house with gracious grounds" and said it should be preserved in its present position. He said an audit of the Edwardian villa by an independent assessor hired by the health board showed the building met the criteria to have heritage protection.
But another assessment by the council's heritage department deemed the 1905 building was below the threshold.
That meant the house would not be protected for its heritage values.
The row is the latest in a string of heritage building controversies.
Mr Matson described the council's assessment as lamentable and added: "They are all too willing to sacrifice the integrity of these heritage places."
He estimated the property would be worth several million dollars.
Councillor Glenda Fryer said she stood by the council heritage team's appraisal of the building. She said the council's team was known to use a "conservative" approach.
"It is our policy to stick by our own heritage department's heritage assessments."
She said the team could re-evaluate the property if new information emerged but that was not considered to have happened in this case.
Ms Fryer said despite the homestead not having heritage protection, the conditions of the recommendation would see it maintained for the next 50 years at least.
