Winter Lecture: Lopdell House Redevelopment

Our first Winter Lecture for 2015 was held on Sunday 12 July. Civic Trust Board member architect Julian Mitchell from Mitchell Stout Architects presented on the redevelopment of the scheduled heritage Lopdell House, and the construction of the new Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery, linked to the older building.  Julian...

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Port Victory

The High Court has ruled that resource consents should not have been granted for Ports of Auckland’s extension of  Bledisloe Wharf.  Work on the wharf has been stopped. The decision by Justice Geoffrey Venning is a significant victory for Urban Auckland, Stop Stealing our Harbour and the thousands of Aucklanders who protested in various...

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Heritage Groups Advocate to Unity Plan Hearings

Heritage groups were out in force on Tuesday 12 June, making presentations to the Independent Hearings Panel on the Proposed Unitary Plan, on the topics of Special Character and the Pre-1944 Demolition Control Heritage Overlay. Much of the day was taken up with strong advocacy for Auckland’s heritage from various...

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Historic Churches at Risk

Churches around the country are shutting their doors as congregations and funds dwindle, and ageing buildings need seismic strengthening. St David’s Presbyterian church in Khyber Pass, Auckland, closed last December, and faces possible demolition. Founder of the Friends of St David’s Trust www.saintdavidsfriends.org.nz , Paul Baragwanath and the Chief Executive...

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Pre 1944 Overlay not a Protection

Vernon Tava of the Waitemata Local Board highlights the plight of  heritage villas at 16-18 Crummer Rd., Ponsonby. He discusses the incomplete protection that the Pre 1944 Heritage Overlay is proving to be. These two well-loved Victorian villas are about to be demolished, as they were removed from the Heritage...

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Urban Auckland in Court over Port Plans

Urban Auckland headed to court on Tuesday 2 June to battle Ports of Auckland over the controversial Bledisloe Wharf extensions into the harbour. Civic Trust has been supporting Urban Auckland in their fight to get public input into the resource consent decisions. See Herald article here for more details.

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