Protestors lose bid to save art deco cottages

Protesters outside the 1930s art deco buildings due to be demolished in Turua St, St Heliers in December. Photo / Paul Estcourt

An appeal to stop the demolition of historic St Heliers cottages has been denied by the Environment Court.

The case for an enforcement order stopping developer Anacona Properties destroying six houses from 8-16 and 20 Turua St was put to the court yesterday.

In a reserved decision issued today, Judge Laurie Newhook said there was not enough evidence six houses on Turua St had heritage or historic value.

The fact the cottages are loved by many in the St Heliers community is not enough of a legal basis to stop the demolition, he said.

Save Our St Heliers Society spokeswoman Sally Hughes said his decision left many who had campaigned to save the houses - some for more than five years - in tears.

She said destroying the houses would change St Heliers forever.

"There's only been a dozen of us in court but the people down on the street will be absolutely devastated.

"They have given their lives to this case. It's part of the fabric of their community and they care very deeply about retaining the character that St Heliers was based on."

Mrs Hughes said she expects the houses to be bulldozed "imminently".

She did not know whether protestors would turn out to hamper the demolition work.

The houses were about to be demolished last week when Mr Newhook issued an injunction stopping the bulldozers until the case deciding their heritage value was heard.

The decision today means Anacona Properties is free to destroy the properties and replace them with a planned commercial development and residential apartments.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown said on January 17 there was no affordable way to save the cottages from demolition.

He had sought a delay to the demolition after councillors turned down an attempt to place a heritage order on the buildings by a vote of 14-7 on December 16.

"Absolutely everything that could be reasonably and legally done was done in this case, but unfortunately that was not enough."

A letter to councillors from Council Chief Executive Doug McKay said there was no evidential basis to impose or seek heritage orders to protected the buildings.

Buying or shifting the cottages would likely cost in excess of $10m, he said.

"The preferred position is to allow the developer to progress his approved and consented development.

"There is no appetite for spending this amount of money, is the sense I have from feedback to date."