New rules aim to keep city's character

"Save our heritage" - that's the cry from Aucklanders as councils begin changing the rules to squeeze in an extra 320,000 homes needed by 2050.

But exactly what it is that residents want saved depends on who you ask.

For those in spruced-up suburbs such as Herne Bay, Remuera, Parnell and Devonport, an absolute priority is protecting their century-old villas and tree-lined streetscapes. For people living in poorer areas such as Glen Innes, Panmure and Mt Wellington, what is at risk is a home with a garden for veges or plants, and space for children to play.

For Auckland iwi Ngati Whatua, the concern is the volcanic cones which contain pa and burial remains.

Then there are the family, sports and environmental groups that say green spaces, bush reserves and fields must not be touched in the push to cater for growth.

All are looking to councils for reassurance that their heritage will be protected as pressure goes on the region to house up to 2 million people over the next few decades.

The Auckland City Council, the region's biggest and the one expected to oversee the most housing intensification, has taken action to save fine old homes in the city's "character" suburbs. This includes areas such as Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, St Mary's Bay, Mt Eden, Freemans Bay and Parnell.

Auckland mayor Dick Hubbard says the zoning changes - now subject to public input - "will end the days of the unannounced bulldozer" in character neighbourhoods by increasing control over development.

"What we're proposing sends the strongest of signals that we are serious about protecting our heritage and neighbourhoods," he has said.

But some wonder if it goes far enough, with the Remuera Community Committee fighting plans that will allow 10,000 people within a 1km radius of Newmarket Railway Station. This includes areas around Mt Hobson such as Arney Rd, which boasts many old houses.

"I have already seen some fine Remuera homes cut up and carted away to another part of the city and a big new modern building put in its place," says recently retired chair Paul Smits, who has been battling the plans under four different mayors.

While consent must now be gained for demolition or removal of any building built before 1940, permission to demolish can still be given. With the council signed up to the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy, the committee worries about the pressures that will come into play.

"If they are expecting Auckland's population to double in the next 50 years, they have to build somewhere, and this area has been marked for growth," says Smits.

Other new rules enabling the council to review whether renovations of older homes are reasonable and contribute to the streetscape are also attracting criticism, with some saying developers can still retain some original features to get developments built.

Smits says building a high-density, modern building beside an old home may be allowed and this can also ruin the tone of an area.

"But this new council does seem to want community consultation - unlike the John Banks regime."

Less happy is Auckland Housing Lobby's Sue Henry, a Glen Innes resident. Henry says most of the poorer areas in the city targeted for housing intensification are not covered by these new zones.

"Glen Innes, Panmure, Mt Wellington have been ignored and we know why, because they need high-density buildings to go in these areas," she says.

Henry says the council will argue that there are few pre-1940s dwellings in these suburbs, but she believes early state housing, made of native timber and on grassed sections, should also be saved.

"Believe me these homes will still be standing when the polystyrene-type, high-density ones are falling down," she says. But she also fears no one will be concerned about saving the heritage that cannot be seen - people's quality of life.

"Housing New Zealand own most of the properties here and if they join with council and build high-density housing - getting rid of all the older larger homes on sections - tell me, where will the children play? Where will people grow their veges? Where will old people tend their gardens? That's the heritage we are losing."

Her views are backed by St Heliers/Glendowie community committee chair Kim Stone, who is concerned that although the council has done an "amazing job" ensuring the special character of St Heliers Village is protected, it's doing little to protect nearby Tamaki suburbs.

"There's been a plethora of plan changes for Mt Wellington, Panmure and Glen Innes as they seek to cram high-density housing developments in there on a piecemeal basis. This will have a big effect on everyone's heritage with the social inequities that will result."

While the council seems to agree on paper to the idea that infrastructure must lead development, the reality is different, says Stone.

"These areas are not self-sufficient. There's no work, no entertainment, poor transport; yet they push on with development anyway and fix problems later, which will all be at big cost to the ratepayer."

For Ngati Whatua o Orakei, the main heritage issue is the protection of pa and burial sites on volcanic cones such as Mt Wellington (Kokiri ki Maungarei).

Massive urban development is being planned for the adjoining quarry land, with some proposals wanting a suburb built that can house up to 8000 people.

Iwi heritage and resource manager Ngarimu Blair says a big increase in people living nearby and using the volcanic cones for recreational activities will place the pa and burial grounds at risk.

"So while council will put more people around these areas, where is the converse investment to protect these sites from the strain of increased recreational demand?"

The iwi would like more council planning and investment to be focused on resolving this issue, "which hasn't happened for decades". But it hopes a new targeted rate will help.

Meanwhile, the Auckland City Council insists it is acutely aware of the need to retain green areas.

Environment, heritage and urban form committee chairwoman Christine Caughey says it's vital that as the city grows an effort is made to retain elements of Auckland's heritage for future generations. But she stresses that the city also needs to plan for growth.

A town planner by trade, Caughey says this means creating places where people want to live.

"London did it, they have high densities living near transport, shops and theatres. But just as the Maori say tomorrow is built on yesterday, we need to ensure that in terms of the city's heritage, older dwellings are retained."

Caughey admits that parts of Avondale, Pt England and Glen Innes have some excellent examples of early, lower income housing in Auckland.

"They are a vital part of Auckland's social history and each one has its own story to tell."

She believes this housing should not be ripped down and replaced.

However, the council will still allow old homes to be renovated, as long as they retain elements of the old, she says.

"We're not putting older homes in a glass case and saying they cannot be touched.

"That's important so Auckland can evolve."

Auckland University Planning Department's Professor Jenny Dixon believes Auckland can build higher density housing while retaining its heritage dwellings.

"Melbourne and Vancouver both show that heritage housing and high density living can co-exist.

"Melbourne has managed that particularly well."

The key is good planning controls ensuring, for example, that buildings and homes are not too close together, she says.

"These controls were confounded in New Zealand in the 1990s because the Government wanted to minimise intervention but that hasn't worked in the urban environment.

"We have got to do a lot better now and that means getting planning controls right."

Dixon believes Auckland was caught out by the rapid housing intensification in the 1990s and it has taken some "time and political will" to get the right planning introduced.

"But part of that adjustment is for Aucklanders to understand that many people do not want to live in the suburbs. They don't want gardens, they do want apartments and they want to be close to amenities.

"People in Europe have done it for centuries, but it is a cultural change for many Kiwis."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY