Residents rally to save art deco houses

Objector Janet Burnes has a long family connection to 12 Turua St, pictured behind her. Photo / Natalie Slade

More than 250 residents gathered at a public meeting to protest the decimation of St Heliers beachfront village's image.

They oppose plans to knock down three 70-year-old art deco houses for a retail and commercial development.

The Spanish Mission-style 1930s houses are soon to be demolished - despite their heritage value.

The Turua St houses were recognised as "character-defining" after consent for a rebuild was first sought in 2007.

The developers, Mike and Sandra Markham, later had the "character-defining" status removed so demolition could be approved.

For one St Heliers resident, Janet Burnes, the houses have more of a sentimental attachment - both her sisters were born in number 12.

Her parents and sisters lived there for six years after it was just built in 1935.

"I love those houses. I'm very attached to them, probably a little more than everyone else because of my connection to them.

"My sisters and I always fantasised and said if any one of us won Lotto one day, we'd buy all three houses and live next to each other in them."

She said it was an absolute disgrace that they were to be demolished because they add to the charm and character of the area.

However, resident Jo Woon told the meeting it may have been too little too late to save the houses.

"It was a really impressive turnout and it shows that there are a lot of passionate people about this issue. But I think maybe more needed to be done early on because I'm not sure if we can stop it now."

The developers are legally allowed to tear the homes down and the occupants have nearly all moved out.

She said their only chance is to appeal to the developers' sensitive side and ask them to spare the houses and save the St Heliers seaside village character.

Residents are especially impassioned about this issue because of the "concrete wall" three-storey development on the corner of Maheke St and Tamaki Drive near the houses.

"Everybody hates it. It's the decimation of St Heliers. It's totally disgraceful that this has been allowed to happen. The council and the Historic Places Trust have really let us down."

Auckland councillor Cameron Brewer said he has called an urgent meeting with the developers to outline the community's frustrations and make one last appeal to build a development that is sympathetic to St Heliers.

"I am not promising anything but I will get around the table with him and reflect the community."

He said the big public meeting reflected the community's disappointment with the St Heliers Centre Plan.

"The new council has got to do better if it wants Auckland to retain 100 distinct villages. We've got to start treating locals and heritage advocates with more respect. The fact that this meeting attracted so much interest shows that a lot of people have had enough," he said.

Act MP John Boscawen also attended the meeting but said it was as a disappointed resident and not as a government official.

"I know the developers legally have the right to bulldoze the villas, but I hope a resolution which will keep everyone happy can be reached.

"It would be nice if they could be saved."