Auckland City Council
Media release

11 June 2010

Have your say on demolition control maps for the Residential 2 zone

Letters and maps are being sent to about 10,000 owners and occupiers of properties in Auckland city’s Residential 2 zone advising which properties require resource consent for demolition or removal of buildings built before 1940.

Residential 2 character zones are mainly found in Mt Albert, Herne Bay, Epsom, One Tree Hill, Parnell, Remuera, Kohimarama and St Heliers. 

The maps, as approved by the Environment Court for public submission, will be notified on 14 June. Submissions close on 9 July.

The council initially proposed blanket controls on pre-1940s buildings across the entire Residential 2 zone, meaning a resource consent was required before removing or demolishing any such building. 

Following appeals to the court, the council, supported by an independent heritage expert, studied properties in the zone and concluded that not all pre-1940s buildings in Residential 2 warranted this protection.

Specific criteria to assess when demolition or removal controls would apply have been approved by the Environment Court and all parties to the appeal. This means properties subject to demolition and removal controls are  buildings erected before 1940, and of sufficient architectural and streetscape character to justify controls.

 
Councillor Aaron Bhatnagar, chairperson of the City Development Committee, said: The opportunity to submit on the proposed maps builds on the common sense foundation of the earlier agreement approved by the Environment Court.

“It means properties that should retain demolition controls are specifically identified while owners of properties that do not contribute to architectural and streetscape character can demolish and rebuild with something sympathetic to the neighbourhood.” 

Submissions on the maps will be collated by the council and referred to the Environment Court prior to a further court hearing.  Submitters will have the right to appear before the court to give evidence.

The plan change notification stresses that submissions can only be made on the new maps and not the assessment criteria which has been approved by the Environment Court and cannot be changed.  Submissions on these criteria are outside the scope of the plan change notification.

Submission forms can be downloaded from www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/submissions
 or completed online.  

The maps are available for inspection at all community libraries, the Central City Library and Level 10, Civic Administration Building, 1 Greys Avenue, Central City or can be viewed on www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/services/zoning/changes2.asp

http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/services/zoning/changes2.asp
Residents can also speak to an isthmus duty planner on 09 379 2020.

Blanket rules requiring resource consent to demolish or remove pre-1940s homes in Residential 1 remain in place and are still under appeal.

 
Ends

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