Auckland is Facing the Biggest Ever Challenge About its Future.
Spokesperson McRae
18th July 2021
Devonport, along with all Auckland’s old kauri housing areas, is facing the biggest threat to its heritage ever, from the Government’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS).
The Government is forcing Auckland Council to find new areas for intensive housing and this threatens Devonport along with Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Parnell etc.
These have protections in place called Special Character Area overlays (SCAs). The Council is being directed to find areas where six storey apartments can be built as of right and this includes in Devonport. The SCAs at present protect pre-1940 houses from demolition, unsympathetic changes and height restrictions and make any major work on old villas, cottages and bungalows subject to resource consent. These overlays are a continuation of heritage protection rules that have been in place in Devonport for 26 years and are one of the main reasons that Devonport still retains its unique heritage quality.
But now the council is reconsidering the heritage status of every house and street in Devonport and all other overlay areas to see where new 6 storey apartments can be built.
We argue the council should stand by the Special Character Areas which went through a thorough and robust research process for inclusion in the Unitary Plan only five years ago. We believe the NPS threatens the value of every old kauri house in Auckland. The streets of character houses in places like Herne Bay, Grey Lynn and Devonport are an integral part of Auckland’s identity as a city. Along with the volcanic cones and the Waitemata Harbour they help form Auckland’s personality and unique character.
There is enough capacity for development already built into the Auckland Unitary Plan and the government is using a blunt instrument to force intensification that could have disastrous effects on Auckland and not create any more affordable housing. It will leave the future look of the city up to property developers and ignores good urban design and Auckland’s character.
How You Can Help:
A) Donate to Devonport Heritage Inc. We need to raise money to pay for expert planning and legal advice.
B) Tell Auckland Councilors and Devonport/Takapuna Local Board members your views on the need to resist high density developments in character areas. They are the people who will vote on whether to continue heritage protection. There is a local body election next year so the community needs to find out their views and make them answerable to their decisions on the future of Auckland.
Devonport/Takapuna Local Board members and Auckland councilors’ (North Shore) email addresses are:
ruthjackson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
jan.oconnor@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
aidan.bennett@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
toni.vantonder@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
george.wood@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
trish.deans@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz