Vulcan Lane makeover haunts mayor

Dick Hubbard

Pressure is mounting on Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard to back down on a $1.2 million makeover of Vulcan Lane when he returns from a holiday in the Cook Islands today.

Senior council staff have decided to press ahead with plans to tear up the red pavers and strips of river pebbles for bluestone pavers, claiming an earlier undisclosed list of nine supporters and three opponents represents a majority in favour of the project.

"There could be some marginal room to make improvements to the way the pavement looks but in terms of using stone we are wedded to bluestone,"a council spokesman said.

The Herald has received dozens of emails almost totally opposed to the council plans for bluestone paving, new seating and tui feeders on Auckland's stylish pedestrian strip.

The centre-piece of the upgrade is a circle of five "fully automated" and "self-flushing" nectar feeders to attract tui from Albert Park.

Reader feedback followed outrage from some of the country's biggest fashion names, including Zambesi owner Neville Findlay, Workshop's Chris Cherry and Andrew Bishop, who owns Feline.

They objected to Vulcan Lane becoming a victim to the "bland, homogenous" bluestone look that the council is rolling out in the central business district.

The fashion leaders, with overwhelming public support, want to preserve the character and spirit of Vulcan Lane, albeit a bit rough in some places.

Before going away on Friday, Mr Hubbard said the vast majority of people were happy with the plans.

He cited figures from CBD project leader Jo Wiggins stating that only three people were opposed and nine were in favour.

Mr Hubbard has been in contact with the council from his holiday to say he did not want his deputy and acting mayor Dr Bruce Hucker to front on the issue: "The mayor wants it to be his issue," the council spokesman said.

The Hobson Community Board last night passed a resolution calling for more consultation on the plans but not before Citizens & Ratepayers Now leader and board member Scott Milne criticised the "bunch of Johnny-come-latelies who took eight months to get off their backsides in responding to requests for input".

Mr Findlay yesterday urged Mr Hubbard and the council to listen to the weight of public opinion and rethink going down the bluestone path.

"You can be dictatorial in any position of power but you do so at your own peril ... only a crazy council would do this," he said.

"Any consultation that is comprehensive and expensive should get to the soul of how the city feels about an issue and they haven't done that. That tells me the consultation was flawed."