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The rhythm, pattern and grain of historic buildings along Quay St - as seen in many historical photos - would be disrupted by the proposed 21-storey Britomart hotel, says the Historic Places Trust.
The trust sums up the feeling of opponents to the project when it says the hotel is unsympathetic in scale, height and bulk with the existing character of the precinct.
More than 200 submissions have been received by the Auckland City Council to a private plan change by the Britomart developer, Cooper and Company, to go outside the masterplan to build a luxury hotel on the Quay St site of the Seafarers Mission Building.
The hotel would be four times higher than height controls the company signed up to in 2004. It could end up being 79m high on Quay St and 105m on Tyler St.
The overwhelming majority of submitters are calling on the council to decline the plan change, with only about 10 submitters in support.
Auckland Mayor John Banks and council planning boss John Duthie have not said whether they are for or against the towering hotel.
Mr Banks said he planned to sit down with Cooper and Company principal Peter Cooper to discuss public opinion and where to from here.
"Peter clearly understands this project has some high hurdles and tight hoops," Mr Banks said.
Mr Duthie said the council would not form a view on the hotel until after the end of a follow-up public submission process on September 22.
One person Mr Duthie will not be consulting is architect Mario Madayag, who developed the Britomart masterplan in conjunction with Jasmax Architects nine years ago.
Mr Madayag has publicly questioned what has happened to the intent of the masterplan, which was based on low-rise development anchored on restoring old buildings.
Mr Duthie said a special urban design panel, not Mr Madayag, was the proper body to advise the council on the original masterplan. The panel is chaired by Professor John Hunt, who chaired the judging panel for the original Britomart design competition, he said.
The trust - and other submitters - have questioned how the hotel meets the objectives of the Britomart part of the district plan, which seeks to "promote and maintain a built form which is of an appropriate scale in relation to the form and scale of existing character buildings".
"Permitting the scale of development which is proposed in this private plan change would adversely affect and erode the integrity of the Britomart precinct," said trust northern general manager Sherry Reynolds.
Unlike the council, the Auckland Regional Council has a firm view of the project. It opposes the plan change in its entirety.
The ARC said the rules for Britomart were developed to ensure a coherent approach to the development of one of the region's most significant historic precincts. The hotel conflicted with the heritage qualities of the precinct.
Urban Auckland spokesman Don McRae noted that the public were opposed to high towers as part of earlier plans for Britomart.
Other opponents raised concerns about shading from the towering hotel, including residents of the nearby Scene apartment blocks. One resident, Alan Tong, was worried about "significant" shading effects from April to August.
The Committee for Auckland lobby group supported the plans for a luxury hotel in the "landmark" position at the proposed height.
"We support the addition of this carefully located signature building which creates a high point in the urban landscape," said executive director Kaaren Goodall.
In a statement, Cooper and Company said many of the concerns regarding the size of the hotel would be addressed by the quality of the design itself.
University of Auckland associate professor of architecture and urban design Clinton Bird, hired by Cooper and Company to undertake an urban design review, said: "In my opinion, the enabled height is not the issue. What will be important is how the base of the building will be modelled, articulated, proportioned and scaled to sit comfortably among the surrounding buildings."
WHAT THE SUBMITTERS SAY
"A developer's greed must not be allowed to ruin yet another part of our beautiful city." - Robin MacDonald, Beach Haven
"The Britomart renovation is providing a wonderful asset to the downtown area. This height change goes against the whole concept of the development." - Gordon Robertson, central Auckland
"Preservation of the heritage buildings is paramount. This building is in poor taste." - Karen Chapman, Pukekohe
"The track record of Cooper and Company in rejuvenating the Britomart precinct speaks for itself in delivering a quality project." - Kaaren Goodall, Committee for Auckland
"Who is to compensate owners for the loss of value and enjoyment consequent upon the council reneging on the historical precinct ideal?" - Ann McDiarmid, Britomart resident
