The decision to allow the demolition of 18 Paget St is
wrong. A city council report states ‘it was also possible that a different
conclusion could have been reached which would have been equally defensible’.
So why demolish this house ? The purchaser knew the rules so did council
officers who flatly refused to enforce them . In any other job this would be a
sacking offense.
Mr McKay realises ‘our community in Auckland is definitely
moving to more protection and more care and concern for our built
heritage.’
Aucklanders voted overwhelmingly for councillors to do
exactly that . The breakdown has been with the council employees who
don’t believe in heritage and pay lip service to the electorate.
There is some hope that the council has finally learnt and
that community boards and senior management be briefed, but is this enough?
Will senior management back their elected community boards or will they buckle
as they have at Paget and Turua Street? How often have we heard the mantra “it
will not happen again”?
The local community boards should always have the
final word to address public concern.
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