A Vision for Auckland: Designing with future generations in mind Watch this conversation here. Auckland’s city centre plays a critical role in the success of both Auckland and New Zealand. In March 2020 a refreshed City Centre Masterplan (CCMP) was adopted by Auckland Council’s Planning Committee. This Auckland Conversation looked at...
The National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund, administered by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, provides financial incentives to encourage the conservation of privately owned heritage places recognised on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Applications for 2021 consideration open on 4 May and will close with regional offices of Heritage New...
Tohu Whenua’s goal is to connect New Zealanders with their Kiwi heritage by promoting significant historical and cultural sites around Aotearoa that offer great visitor experiences. It now has a new-look website. The website now includes regional stories (the programme currently operates in Te Tai Tokerau Northland, Otago and Te Tai Poutini...
“Housing in New Zealand” – 15 min, 32 sec In 1935, there were more than 40,000 families in New Zealand who needed homes. This 1946 film surveys New Zealand housing: from settler huts to Ernest Plischke’s modernist flats. Architect William Page bemoans sun-spurning Victorian slums with their unneeded “elaboration.” Michael...
The Save Canal Road Native Trees group is asking for people to add their signatures to their open letter to the developer of the Canal Rd site, requesting that he meet with them to work together for a resolution. The community effort to save the stand of native trees at...
Auckland Council’s 10-year budget for 2021-2031 is open for public consultation until 22 March. This “Recovery Budget” will increase the council’s total capital investment from $26 billion to $31 billion over the next 10 years to deliver infrastructure for transport, housing and water, help stimulate jobs, and respond to the...
On 5 December, a fire damaged St Stephen’s Church in Ponsonby. The nave was heavily impacted, and the building needs extensive repair. The church is a Heritage New Zealand Category 2 listed building made of kauri. Church Minister Rev. Grant Ridout says, “Many people grieve the loss of the stunning...
A new report has found that the health of up to 800,000 New Zealanders could be at risk from nitrate in our drinking water. Nitrate is colourless and tasteless. It mainly comes from synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and urine from cows, working its way into rivers and groundwater. High levels of...
Coromandel Watchdog has a petition which asks the government to place an immediate moratorium on accepting any applications for and any further processing or granting of any prospecting, exploration or mining permits on, in or under public conservation land in Aotearoa New Zealand, including stewardship land, administered by the Department...
What’s good in the draft climate plan: It’s great that the Commission has acknowledged that we need permanent native forests to draw in and lock away carbon. It’s also great they’ve acknowledged that we can’t plant our way out of climate catastrophe. Trees have a role to play, but they’re...