MEDIA RELEASE
11 November 2004

Fitzroy Hotel scheduled as a category B

Auckland City Council today confirmed the decision of Independent Hearing Commissioner, Mr Alan Dormer, that Ashington House (the former Fitzroy Hotel) be scheduled in the district plan as a category B building, with a schedule point ranking of 72.

The assessment of this building was considered in an independent hearing on 21 September and reconvened on 13 October 2004, to consider additional information.

Mr Dormer considered all information presented by submitters and concluded that the building assessment carried out by Auckland City was appropriate and agreed with the proposed score of 72.

The building was initially ranked with a score of 57, but additional information submitted during the hearing process elevated the score to 72, following careful consideration by Auckland City. In his report announcing this decision, Mr Dormer acknowledged the robust, consistent and transparent scoring system used by Auckland City.

The future of the building is still under discussion. Auckland City will now go ahead with the proposed district plan scheduling as a category B. The New Zealand Historic Places Trust has extended its interim heritage registration until the next meeting of its board on Friday 10 December, when the issue of ongoing registration will be considered further. The interim registration protects the building from demolition while these processes are underway.

Ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>