Media Release

Mr Brown regrets he won't be saving any heritage today

For Immediate Publication on 17 January 2011

Save Our St Heliers Incorporated Society (formerly Save Turua Street)

Save Our St Heliers (SOS) are flabbergasted with the Mayor's statements today about the heritage houses in Turua Street and the society disputes his points in their entirety.

'We are outraged that the Mayor states that there have been negotiations that included local residents' says Dorothy McHattie a spokesperson for the society. 'At no time have the residents been able to speak to the Mayor personally. The talks have all been between the council and the site owners Mike and Sandra Markham behind closed doors.' she said.

Len Brown's assertion that the buildings do not have heritage qualities is disputed by Councillor Sandra Coney who wrote to her fellow councillors and Auckland City CEO Doug McKay yesterday.

Councillor Coney is highly critical of Mr McKay¹s assessment of this matter, pointing out that a number of crucial conclusions have been false or based on incorrect assumptions.

Her letter outlines the failings of the previous and the present council to carry out a heritage assessment of the buildings in Turua Street despite it having been recommended in the council's own reports that they have had access to for a number of years. Councillor Coney states 'I believe the existing reports carried out by ACC provide ample 'reasonable basis' for Auckland Council seeking a heritage order.' She goes on to say that she has not seen any grounds to sanction the demolition of the Turua Street buildings and without that the Council is poorly placed to support demolition. 'Indeed' she says 'it could be seen as derelict in its duty for not picking up on the recommendation of the 2004 report to assess these buildings to see if they qualified for inclusion of the Schedules of the District Plan which would have afforded the necessary protection.'

Sandra Coney's letter is supported by Mike Lee and Cameron Brewer who voted along with four other councillors for heritage protection for the buildings.

The group also takes issue with the costs outlined by the Mayor. A figure of $10 million is quoted to buy the houses without factoring in the investment potential of any purchase. 'This could be a wonderful tourist destination' says Dorothy McHattie 'It just needs some imagination which this Mayor clearly doesn't have.' she said. ŒIf a temporary investment was needed it would be in prime real estate that could be on sold with its heritage protection in place.¹

As Councillor Coney points out, it would cost the Council nothing to place a heritage protection order on the buildings ¬ at least until a formal heritage assessment can be undertaken.

Save Our St Heliers rejects the Mayors view that he has done everything he could have and calls on him to make good on his election promises to protect Auckland from this sort of destruction. 'Let's talk in the present tense not wring our hands with regret and say we won't let it happen again' says Dorothy McHattie. 'We have heard that too many times before. Save these building now Mr Brown.'

ENDS

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