Under-threat cottages in good condition - surveyor

Supporters of the art deco houses which are due to be pulled down on Turua Street, St Heliers, march in protest from St Heliers to Kohimarama. Photo / Natalie Slade

Three much-loved art deco houses scheduled to be demolished are in good condition, contrary to the Auckland Council's assertion that they are in disrepair and should be knocked down, a surveyor says.

Members of the Save Our St Heliers group met with the council today in a last-ditch attempt to save the Spanish Mission-style houses on Turua Street in the seaside suburb of St Heliers.

Failing a compromise between the group and developer Mike Markham, demolition could resume on January 17.

In a report last month, the council's building control manager found the buildings were damp, unstable, cracked, sagging and would be unable to be repaired in the event of an earthquake.

But chartered building surveyor Phillip Hartley, of Salmon Reed Architects, who attended today's meeting, said they were not in such poor condition that they needed to be demolished.

"They're in good condition; They have some maintenance issues that need attending to but nothing that isn't repairable without too much difficulty," he told NZPA.

An Auckland Council spokesperson said the group should remain realistic about the outcome of the process, given the substantial costs involved and the fact the owners had a legitimate right to develop the site.

However, the council would consider Mr Hartley's findings, the spokesperson said.

In a memo to the council last week, chief executive Doug McKay said there was not a "reasonable basis" to place a protection order on the houses, which would automatically halt demolition. The only options available to the council were to let the developer continue with the demolition and development of the site, relocate the buildings at a cost to the council of $2.2 million or purchase the site and buildings at a cost to council of $5 million plus potential compensation to the developer.

"If the developer decides that he doesn't want to do anything with those three houses then we've got the option to take those houses off him or compensate him in some way, but it's not our job to do the development," Mr McKay said.

- NZPA