Heritage lesson mortifies council

A North Shore City Council gesture towards saving a relic of Glenfield's gum-digging era has turned into an embarrassing history lesson.

In May last year, the council paid $320,000 for an old house at 1 Sunset Rd believing it included an 1850s gum traders store.

But this week councillors decided to put the property back on the market. Researchers could not prove that the derelict 1920s bungalow was added on to David Heron's cob-constructed store.

A public appeal for information failed to confirm the significance of the earlier structure.

"It's embarrassing for us," Mayor George Wood told the Herald yesterday. "We bought the property because the Glenfield Historical Society gave us information that it might have heritage values.

"We have not been able to establish that information was right.

"From this experience, we have learned that you should not rush into making purchases without getting a proper heritage evaluation from qualified people," said Mr Wood.

But city councillor and Glenfield Historical Society chairwoman Heather Brown said that to the community it was always known as the "iconic" gum trader's cottage.

"They may be able to tell more when they take the house down piece by piece," she said.

Mrs Brown said Glenfield was an old area of the city yet fewer than six heritage buildings had escaped burning, demolition or removal.

The society flagged the historical interest of the property at 1 Sunset Rd after realising it was for sale without any heritage protection under the District Plan.

"The council had to be diligent not to let this one slip through. It could have ended up with egg on its face by doing nothing," she said.

Heritage architects Salmon Reed were commissioned to see whether the site was significant and inquiries were made as far afield as Yugoslavia to see whether descendants of gumdiggers had photographs or information.

"The council won't lose on it because land values have risen and the land has a resource consent for building two townhouses," said Mrs Brown.