12 August 2005

Nominations for City Plan heritage listings close

About 170 nominations - from concrete pig sties to a Warren and Mahoney-designed building - have been received by the Christchurch City Council as potential new additions for City Plan heritage listing.

Council Assistant Heritage Planner, Amanda Ross, says Heritage staff were impressed at the enthusiasm and knowledge evident in nominations offered.

Heritage staff would now assess and prioritise the nominations through doing more research. Such groups as the New Brighton Historical Society, Tramway Historical Society, Cracroft Residents Association, Christchurch Civic Trust, Historic Places Trust, Englefield Residents Association, and Merivale Precinct Society made nominations.

The Martindales Road railway overbridge in Heathcote was a popular nomination and some more interesting, if obscure, nominations included concrete pigsties on the former Cracroft Wilson estate, cart tracks in a central city lane, brick culverts and stone abutments in the Ferrymead/Heathcote area, and the University of Canterbury sign.

A number of Maori heritage sites such as the site of Puari Pa and Tautahi's Pa in the central city, along with the National Marae, Nga Hau e Wha, and Te Wai Pounamu College were also submitted.

Modern architecture nominations included the Warren and Mahoney-designed former Dental Nurse's Training College in Manchester Street and the Harewood Crematorium that can be seen from John's Road. The 1960s and 1970s buildings at the University of Canterbury, and Peter Beaven's Canterbury Terminating Building Society in Manchester Street were also suggested.

Various landscapes, such as the Avon Heathcote Ihutai Estuary, Hagley Park, the Botanic Gardens, Avon River and Port Hills were also nominated. Ms Ross says some suggested sites are already protected heritage items in the City Plan, which is available to view at any council service centre or library.

"People needn't worry if they missed out on the nomination period. Council Heritage staff will still accept nominations," Ms Ross says. Nominations can still be made by contacting her on phone 941 6388, email Amanda.ross@ccc.govt.nz or through the Council's www.ccc.govt.nz/Christchurch/Heritage website.

ENDS

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