The massive tragedy of COVID-19 and its associated personal, social and economic shocks and disruption, offers a rare and compelling opportunity to rapidly transition to a new order of human affairs. This is to a low carbon, much lower impact and a much fairer and appreciative world with a greater...
The Leys Institute in St Mary’s Bay was closed yesterday with one day’s notice. The buildings, designed in the Edwardian Baroque style and built in 1905/6 and are Listed as Category 1 by Heritage NZ and scheduled as Category A by Auckland Council. Together the buildings have provided the...
Sad news has been reported by Anne Gibson in the Herald on Tuesday 2 July. According to her article, a report to the council by Heritage Manager Noel Reardon, presents a grim future for the treasured theatre. See the full article here:
Proposed Plan Change 26 to the Unitary Plan has come about because there are anomilies between the Single House Zone rules and Special Character overlays. It is not clear which set of rules should have precedent, and the Environment Court has directed the council to amend the Unitary Plan accordingly....
In Heritage NZ’s quarterly magazine Autumn 2019 issue, an article by Chris van Ryn entitled “Under Pressure”, details the housing issues affecting heritage in Auckland. Chris asks the question “As Auckland feels the pain of its housing crisis, how is the city’s heritage faring?” He interviews a wide range of...
Latest news from Heritage Equip – Earthquake Upgrade Incentive Programme: Ten projects from Auckland, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Lower Hutt, Christchurch, Lyttelton, Timaru and New Plymouth were named in last week’s announcement by Hon Grant Robertson: https://heritageequip.govt.nz/news-and-events/latest-heritage-buildings-benefit-government-fund This round allocated nearly $1 million in funding, and included the first...
As detailed in a previous post, just before Christmas, Environment Court Judge Smith granted a demolition consent, subject to conditions to be set in February. Inexplicably, between Christmas and New Year, while congregation members were meeting in the church next door, a fire took hold in the 1885 hall, and...
See here for a recent Opinion piece in the Herald, by architect David Kernohan. He is of the opinion that the legislation requiring earthquake strengthening of heritage buildings is creating unnecessary costs. He worries that the current legislation may see the demise of many country towns and older city precincts....
The restoration of the St James Theatre is on hold at present, due to the proposed associated apartment complex not proceeding. A $250m 39-level apartment building was meant to be built next to it, but that’s been cancelled. Steve Bielby, in charge of the restoration, said all works were suspended....
Bill McKay from the Architecture faculty at the University of Auckland had a very thoughtful discussion on Radio NZ today, about the risk to heritage in the regions, following the legislation enacted after the Christchurch earthquakes. He points out that many heritage buildings in the regions are either empty or...