Music venues in heritage pubs disappearing

With news this week that the historic Kings Arms in Newton has been sold for redevelopment, the last of the music venues in heritage pubs in Auckland will disappear. Recently the Herald profiled historic pubs across the country that had contributed to the country’s live music scene over the years....

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Update on Otuataua Stonefields SOUL campaign

The SOUL campaign, working to protect land next to the Otuataua Stonefields reserve, is continuing to gather supporters and be profiled. TVNZ’s Sunday programme has produced a thorough and thoughtful item on the issue. The SOUL campaigners outline why this special land should not be used for housing, and Fletcher...

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Crater Hill

CTA was approached to support the petition to save Crater Hill in Papatoetoe, a scheduled Outstanding Natural Feature on which the Independent Hearings Panel had permitted the building of more than 550 houses.  We provided the following comment: Civic Trust Auckland is concerned about rejection of past local and regional...

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Laneways Popularity Supports Heritage

Current city planning ideas for laneways are supporting our commercial heritage. The popularity of the shared streets in Auckland such as Elliot St, O’Connell St are showcasing the existing heritage buildings and adding to their value. Laneways developments in Newmarket have been successful, as have the newly created lanes in...

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Art of Remembrance showing at Te Papa

The stunning Art of Remembrance project, which covered the face of St David’s Church in Khyber Pass in 2015 over the Anzac Day period, is now showing at Te Papa, for Anzac Day 2016. The brass quatrefoils artworks by leading NZ artist Max Gimblett, who has had a life-long association...

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Unitary Plan backlash for Council

Auckland Council’s recent upzoning out-of-scope submissions, further to the original notified plan in 2013, have been raising concerns throughout suburban Auckland. The increased intensification is considered a breach of natural justice, as people who did not put in a submission to the original notified plan have no ability to participate...

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Seismic Tax Coalition push for change

A coalition of local authorities and private landlords that want the cost of strengthening earthquake-prone buildings to be tax deductible may be making some progress. Inland Revenue has put out a discussion document on the issue and is asking for submissions on whether businesses should be allowed to write off the...

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