AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL
MEDIA RELEASE

31 March 2006

Auckland City provides funds to restore the past

Refurbishment projects to help restore some of the city's historic buildings to their former glory have received a boost through Auckland City's built heritage fund.

The fund was established two years ago to enable property owners to conserve, restore and protect the city's heritage.

Auckland City's Environment, Heritage and Urban Form Committee has now approved grants totalling $50,000 for a dozen different refurbishment projects.

The committee's chairperson, Councillor Christine Caughey, says although the grants are small, they can be vital in getting restoration projects off the ground.

"Heritage is a priority for Auckland City and this fund is an example of the tangible way in which this council assists property owners to refurbish heritage buildings for future generations to enjoy.

"The council acknowledges that work to restore and protect heritage buildings can sometimes be expensive. We're prepared to help out because we recognise that the end result will benefit us all."

Most of the grants were between $2,500 and $5,000 and were for repair and restoration work. However, some grants will be used for heritage assessments and to develop plans for future restoration.

Among those buildings to receive funding are:

The Auckland Sunday School Union building on Queen Street

The Onehunga Community House in Selwyn Street

Anglican Church of St Barnabas in Mt Eden Road

St Stephens Presbyterian Church in Jervois Road

"There are some real treasures among this year's recipients. For instance, I'm thrilled that we can help out the Onehunga Community House, which has been a major feature of the suburb for more than a century.

"It's a grand old building and the trust has done so much already to restore the exterior of the building. This grant can now be put to good use to return the interior to its former glory," Ms Caughey says.

Ms Caughey says the grants are just one component in a suite of measures Auckland City has introduced to promote heritage, which include:

a targeted rate for heritage and urban design

more research on unprotected heritage sites with a view to scheduling them

tighter controls to help prevent the demolition of pre-1940s buildings in the CBD and character suburbs

steps to protect significant ecological sites, particularly volcanic cones

character overlay zones

working with the Historic Places Trust and other agencies on heritage matters.

The Built Heritage grants awarded for the 2004/2005 year helped to fund some high-profile restoration projects, including the restoration of St Patrick's Cathedral in the CBD.

The council will only award Built Heritage Fund grants to applicants that have scheduled buildings of heritage significance and proposals that enhance that significance. The grants are paid retrospectively after the restoration work has been done.

ENDS

Note to editors:
A list of recipients of the 2005/06 Built Heritage Fund grants follows:

1. 16 - 18 Huntly Avenue, Newmarket
$2,725 for repair and restoration work, primarily the roof and verandah

2. St Stephens Presbyterian Church, 61-65 Jervois Rd, Ponsonby
$3,100 to repaint the interior of the church

3. Christ Church, 169 Ladies Mile, Ellerslie
$3,500 for repair and restoration of the bell tower and stained glass windows

4. Rahiri House, 1 McLean St, Mt Albert
$2,800 to repair and replace copper spouting and roof repairs

5. Anglican Church of St Barnabas, 283 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden
$10,000 to repair and restore the roof, spouting, down pipes and masonry

6. Westminster Court, 5 Parliament St, CBD
$4,000 for preparation of a condition assessment report

7. Middle Courtville, 9 Parliament St, CBD
$4,000 to clean, repair and restore the façade

8. Corner Courtville, 11 Parliament St, CBD
$4,000 for preparation of a condition assessment report

9. Auckland Sunday School Union, 323-327 Queen St, CBD
$5,000 to repair, restore and clean the façade of the building

10. 14 Renall St, Freemans Bay
$4,275 for repiling, new roof and replacement of weatherboards

11. Onehunga Community House, 83 Selwyn St, Onehunga
$3,600 to prepare a master plan for the building restoration

12. Emerald Lodge, 4 Tohunga Cres, Parnell
$3,000 to underpin and strengthen two chimneys and install new footings

ENDS

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