KEY POINTS:
Environmentalists say new measures to limit development on some of Auckland's most treasured natural landmarks do not go far enough.
But the Auckland City Council says the list of sites could be broadened, and homeowners' rights must be considered too.
The council has placed building restrictions on six sites, including five volcanic cones and the Glendowie cliffs, home to some of the city's priciest real estate.
They mark pre-1940s homes in the zones for greater protection. The height of new buildings and fences, the use of pitched roofs and landscaping are also regulated for properties zoned Residential 3 (volcanic cone protection) in the areas.
The sites include five of the city's volcanic cones, Mt Eden (Maungawhau), Mt Albert (Owairaka), Mt St John (Titikopuke), Mt Hobson (Remuwera) and Three Kings (Te Tatua a Riukiuta).
The Glendowie cliffs - where billionaire Graeme Hart has a $20 million mansion - were named to ensure housing did not encroach on the area's "natural character".
Auckland Volcanic Cones Society spokesman Greg Smith said the organisation supported the new rules, but believed they did not go far enough.
"The zone should be extended to all the volcanic cones in Auckland," said Mr Smith.
He said three of the five cones had only partial protection. Owairaka Mt Albert and Titikopuke Mt St John were "more adequately" safeguarded.
Mr Smith said the volcanic cones' biggest threat came from developers seeking better views by demolishing existing homes and rebuilding higher up the slopes.
Auckland City Council councillor Glenda Fryer said the rules, passed at a council meeting last week, , balanced property owners' rights with the need for greater protection for the landforms.
The selection of volcanic cones for protection happened more than 10 years ago, Ms Fryer said.
But expanding the measures to other parts of the cones and other city landmarks would probably be considered in the just-started district plan review, due to be finished by 2009. "We are looking at the cones differently now," said Ms Fryer. "Under the district plan review, we are going to be looking to see whether there needs to be an extension of that zoning."
She said the rules were introduced six years too late and it was better to act now and seek to broaden the regulations later.
Under the preservation directions, about 800 owners of pre-1940s homes face stricter controls on demolishing, altering or removing the homes.
The changes follow 2005 changes affecting 16,300 homes in Residential 1 and 2 zones, which include parts of Ponsonby, Mt Eden and Epsom.
But Institute of Architects Auckland branch heritage spokesman Adam Wild said the pre-1940s threshold was nonsense.
"Some of our much more recent heritage has been lost because it didn't meet that single criterion of pre-1940," he said.
"There are plenty of pre-1940 buildings that are of no particular interest at all and that stifle good development."
* The new rules are at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz
