Turua St protesters take fight to council

The Turua St buildings which are set to be demolished. Photo / Paul Estcourt.

A group of campaigners trying to save two historic houses in St Heliers will confront the Auckland Council at its meeting this morning.

Protesters made up of local residents, members of the Save Turua St group and others from the Art Deco Society will make a submission to the council, calling for the 1930s homes to be saved.

A third house - completing the art deco set - is set to be demolished in late January.

Developers Mike and Sandra Markham want to demolish the Spanish-style buildings despite their heritage value and what protesters say is "the history of St Heliers".

About 50 protesters were at Turua St at 7am yesterday, when many thought demolition work would begin.

However, they were told demolition would not take place for at least two days. Instead, security guards stood outside the homes yesterday as work to remove interior fittings, such as floorboards, took place.

Protester and Auckland Art Deco Society chairwoman Dorothy McHattie yesterday said a number of people would be at the site today while others attended the council meeting at 10am.

"We think they might move in while we're not there," she said.

Mrs McHattie acknowledged that although there was ultimately nothing they could do to stop the demolition from happening, protesters wanted the developers - as well as the council - to know that taking the buildings down was not right.

"There's nothing really we can do - we can't actually stop the demolition," she said.

"The council should be named and shamed. This is a unique enclave in Auckland and they're doing nothing to save it."

Up to seven buildings will be removed from the eastern side of the street, to make way for further development.

Protester Alex Dempsey said it was disappointing that all seven properties would be demolished.

Pointing to the various buildings, she said: "Those three are 1930s art deco buildings, around that corner are two century-old villas and that building on the corner is the old bus depot.

"This whole street is the history of St Heliers - it's a snapshot of the history of St Heliers' development."

The Markhams have argued that the art deco homes are a safety risk and therefore need to be pulled down.

But demolition expert Mike Vickers - who knows the buildings well and who visited the site on Tuesday - said they were in "fantastic shape".

"I've seen their foundations and seen them all. They are solid. They're sound."

Mr Vickers, owner and manager of North Shore Demolition, said the developers would get more from including the three houses in their plans than by destroying them.

"I've been to a lot of [demolition] jobs and sometimes the buildings are a waste.

"All the other buildings on that street can go but those three little art deco cottages are super.

"They are a fantastic example of art deco houses in Auckland - and as a set, too, what a gift."