Colours codes for protected property

Thousands of Auckland City home owners are being sent maps with green spots on them to show their properties merit demolition or removal controls.

It is Auckland City Council's second shot at preserving heritage character in the Residential 2 zone - leafy low-density neighbourhoods in Mt Albert, Herne Bay, Epsom, One Tree Hill, Parnell, Remuera, Kohimarama and St Heliers.

Five years ago, the council caused an outcry when it proposed that the whole zone should have controls requiring resource consent for demolition or removal of any building built before 1940.

This blanket approach affected about 16,000 homes.

It led to appeals, and the council brought in heritage architect Jeremy Salmond to study the zone using specific criteria to warrant controls.

Mr Salmond's study confirmed many of the owners' claims that not all pre-1940s homes warranted protection.

The criteria for quality of architecture and streetscape have been approved by the Environment Court.

They have resulted in the redrawing of planning maps for the proposed District Plan change. Fresh versions show 2942 properties with demolition controls and 898 without.

To read the full NZ Herald article, click here

Posted: 15 Jun 2010

News articles