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A consultant planner for Auckland City Council has supported demolition of a villa in one of Ponsonby's historic streets.
The decision comes during the Auckland Heritage Festival, which ends on Sunday.
Flattening the large century-old villa at 51 Summer St to make way for three townhouses would have only a minor effect on the environment, says a council report prepared by consultant planner Richard Blakey.
Mr Blakey and architectural consultant planner Garry Glasgow have supported an application from developers Liz and Richard Mannell, who are seeking resource consent to demolish the wooden villa and build three townhouses resembling two-storey cottages in the narrow street.
The villa is the latest test for new rules aimed at protecting pre-1940 homes from demolition in heritage suburbs.
The council staff say the villa has lost many of its original features and is beyond repair.
Mr Glasgow assessed the villa against its original design, streetscape character, visible historical qualities, rehabilitation and repair costs, and failed it on all counts.
But the Historic Places Trust said the villa contributed significantly to the street's character and could easily be restored.
Nearby residents strongly oppose the development. Peter Crosse, 55, who has lived in Summer St all his life, said part of his soul was in the house.
"What really bothers me is developers coming in, building houses, selling them for $1 million and moving on. They don't care two stuffs for this street," he said.
Paul Vodanovich, who lives next door to the proposed development, said that when the new rules were announced in 2005, former Mayor Dick Hubbard appeared on television walking down Summer St proudly explaining how character buildings would be safe from the wrecking ball.
It was ironic, he said, that this rare character building had survived about 100 years with limited protection, but might not survive a couple of years under the heritage rules.
A panel of three independent planning commissioners adjourned the hearing so the developers could provide a structural engineer's report on the house, which was missing from the application.
In a letter to the Herald this week, Helen Geary, who is battling to save a heritage building at Green Lane Hospital, said the council should be congratulated for showcasing and celebrating the city's preserved heritage during the heritage festival, but said it was merely window-dressing.
"What Aucklanders really want from the council is robust enforcement of the district plan heritage provisions," she said.
* An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the council had approved the demolition proposal.
