10 June 2005

Station decision result of working together

The ARC is pleased that an independent commissioner has decided to retain the historic Henderson Railway Station building as a part of the new proposed Henderson railway interchange.

The ARC argued at the hearing, and through the process that the old station should be retained in a railway context. The decision goes some way towards recognising the heritage status, and may help with the approach to other old stations in the Auckland rail network with uncertain futures

Chair of the ARC's Parks and Heritage Committee, Sandra Coney says that the decision by the commissioner to move the historic station 30 metres south of it's current location rather than to the Corbans Art Estate as originally proposed is a satisfactory one.

"The historic Henderson station is a piece of west Auckland's heritage, and the decision to retain the building as part of the interchange recognises this.

"The ARC has fought hard over recent months to see the station retained within the Henderson rail precinct, and overall we are pleased with the decision to move the station slightly south rather than to a totally separate location.

"Our opposition to Waitakere City's original plans has been based primarily on the historic status of the building. Keeping the station near the railway line acknowledges the significance of this building both as part of the development of Auckland's rail network, and as part of the development of Henderson. It is also more aligned to Waitakere City's own district plan.

"The station is the only Category I historic building within Henderson that remains in it's original location, it's the last of the large Edwardian railway stations on the western line, and is one of only five remaining in the Auckland region. To move the station to the Corbans Art Estate would not only diminish the overall character and essence of the Estate as a link to the beginnings of west Auckland's wine industry, but would also diminish the station's own historic status."

Cr Coney says that the decision demonstrates that preserving heritage buildings can be complimentary to new development, and that the preservation of historic stations is an issue not just for west Auckland, but for the wider region.

"Often heritage buildings are demolished without any regard for the links they have to the past. What we would like to see throughout the region is modern and functional transport interchanges that provide the facilities that the public needs and expects, at the same time also acknowledge and celebrate the history of the rail network, and of local areas."

Cr Coney says that the ARC is pleased with the commitment by Waitakere City Council to provide financial assistance for the ongoing maintenance of the building.

The ARC has been working with Waitakere City, The New Zealand Historic Places Trust, and ONTRACK in recent weeks regarding the future of the station.

ENDS

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