An appeal to Auckland Council from Margot McRae, Chair of Devonport Heritage

Dear Councillor,

Auckland is at one of the most crucial turning points in its history. You as an Auckland councillor have the huge responsibility of deciding how this city develops for the next 50 to 100 years.

As an Auckland councillor we are urging you to stand up for the city against the latest attack on local democracy by central government.

Last week’s dual announcement with the National Party was a political stunt that seeks to blame councils and planners for the housing shortage.

On behalf of Devonport Heritage and many other Aucklanders, we urge you to defend Auckland against the Government’s housing density edict for an across-the-board, three storey/three home housing density.

No area of the city deserves to have intensive housing forced on it without going through a resource consent process. This will be a green light for developers to put up cheap, badly designed buildings that will be miserable to live in and miserable to look at.

The Real Problems

The government is ignoring the real reasons for the housing crisis and the fact that Auckland has 30 years of housing growth capacity already in its zoning. It is ignoring the fact there is not the infrastructure to support this demand for higher density.

It is the action of an autocratic government that is ignoring the fact there is another form of government in this country which is – local government.

Our councils have been democratically elected and must have the final say over how their cities should develop. It is councils that have the best interests of the city at heart not central government.

Auckland Unitary Plan

The Auckland Unitary plan went through a thorough and arduous public process and should not be pushed aside in this way.

Part of that process decided to protect the historic areas of Auckland with Special Character Area overlays and this decision should not be dismissed simply because of a central government decree.

Special Character Areas

Special Character areas are about quantity and homogeneity and to have them interrupted by out of scale, concrete and steel structures will be the death knell of the historic fabric of this city.

We believe if three storey developments are allowed everywhere in the city it will mean the eventual ruin of our historic areas. Old villas, small cottages and bungalows will be squeezed beside 11 metre concrete block housing developments and the continuity and character of these historic areas will be lost.

But it is also important to protect the amenity and streetscape of all Auckland suburbs by ensuring that urban design is an intrinsic part of housing developments. Without that our suburbs will begin to resemble the brutalism of post war eastern European townscapes and create potential future slums.

Defend Auckland

So, we urge you on behalf of all Aucklanders to defy this latest dictatorial action of the government.

Defend this city and the Special Character areas against low quality density housing that over time will turn Auckland into an unliveable and ugly city.

You were elected to safeguard Auckland, to govern for the present and the future and Auckland’s long-term identity depends on you.

Good luck.

Margot McRae
Chairperson,
Devonport Heritage Inc.

Auckland Council currently considers Devonport to be a Special Character Area. (This image of the majestic Esplanade Hotel.)

Will this be the “new” Devonport, once the proposed changes have been approved?