Development of commercial sites in heritage areas under review

Development of commercial sites in heritage areas under review

The North Shore City Council has begun a review of the way the District Plan deals with applications to alter or replace commercial buildings in heritage zoned areas.

At the same time, it is reviewing its schedule of commercial buildings which are currently listed for heritage protection.

North Shore City Council Strategy and Finance Committee Chair Grant Gillon says that the need for this review has been highlighted in the recent issues surrounding properties such as the 83 Hinemoa St residential apartment development, the Masonic Tavern redevelopment proposal and the redevelopment of 89 Vauxhall Rd.

He says that the review will cover the controls on development of buildings on commercially zoned land (Business 1, 2 and 9) in the heritage areas in Devonport, Northcote Point and Birkenhead.

The main issues to be covered in the review are:

Whether current controls on development in business zones require an appropriate amount of ground level floor space for business premises when existing buildings are replaced or altered.

Whether current controls ensure that any new or altered building is sympathetic with the surrounding buildings – both in terms of height and design.

Whether there are any additional commercial buildings in the heritage areas of Devonport, Northcote Point or Birkenhead which should be added to the council’s heritage schedule. The schedule, which is currently being reviewed, gives individual buildings heritage protection. Some commercial buildings are already on the schedule.

Councillor Gillon says that the council’s “District Plan Change 33” review process will investigate all possible ways of dealing with the issues.

“The most likely solution is that the council will change the existing provisions in the District Plan,” he says.

The first step in this process is to prepare a report under Section 32 of the Resource Management Act. The report sets out the costs and benefits of possible options for addressing the issues.

Now that the report has been drafted, the council has begun consulting the 500-odd people and organisations who could be affected by any change in the existing provisions.

The council has written to all owners of commercial buildings in heritage areas, and to their neighbours who might also be affected. Interested community organisations and heritage groups have also been contacted.

The letter explains the issues in more detail, and the full “Section 32” report is on the council’s website under www.northshorecity.govt.nz.

The council is asking any affected parties to email or telephone the council’s specialist heritage staff with any comments regarding the review. Feedback is required no later than 30 January 2009.

Councillor Gillon says that this is only the first step in a lengthy process. “If the community feedback makes it clear that the council should undertake a review of the relevant District Plan provisions for smaller business areas, a formal submission process will be undertaken.”