No room for a view in city

Forget the bright lights, big city - for the residents of Auckland's Emily Place it's a classic case of daylight robbery.

Some of those living in Auckland's oldest residential street claim they have been blindsided by plans to sandwich a new 17-storey hotel development between two existing apartment complexes.

Under the current plans, the hotel development will shut out the light to many apartments including those in the Britomart and Four Seasons buildings, which were built in 1914. Some apartment dwellers will not even able to open their windows.

Residents, who declined to be named, said they were appalled because they had been left completely in the dark about the developer's plans for the hotel.

"It is absolutely disgusting that this may happen," said one resident.

"We are not worred about the view but our basic rights of air and light will be taken away if this goes ahead.

"If it was notified we could make submissions about the impact this new development will have on us."

Under the district plan, new developments in the central area have to comply with new rules, including space, outlook and privacy - but these rules do not apply to exisiting buildings and sites.

City Estates Ltd - owned by Singaporean developer Abdul Ghaffar - is developing the site. He could not be reached for comment.

The consent application for the 17-storey hotel is currently being processed.

A council spokesman said: "It has been reviewed three times by the Urban Design Panel and they required the architect/developer to produce a design more complementary to the neighbouring properties."

Residents said common sense dictated that such buildings should not get consent.

"Because we are in the inner city we seem to have no rights. This is a beautiful historic building and some of the apartments here are more than 1000sq m.

"They are our homes and now we are reluctant to put any more money into them."

Jessica McGoldrick said her mother Margaret would never have bought her the apartment if she knew such a development was possible.

"We are lucky in that we have a window at the front but two of the side bedroom windows will be blocked," Jessica said.

"Some people in the other apartments are not going to have any light at all and they won't be able to open their windows either."

Residents have written to Auckland City Council opposing the development and have tried to meet Mayor Dick Hubbard but have not heard back from him.

"We are hoping for the best but legally this developer can do what he wants," one resident said.

"It has been a very stressful period and it doesn't look like it is going to get better soon.

"We are being robbed of basic rights of light and air and our quality of life is going to plummet."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY