Residential One Heritage Housing Protectoin

Published in the New Zealand Herald,Tuesday 17 January , 2012 As a business woman, Wynnis Armour, would have been well aware of the Residential One qualification. She would have known house when she bought her Paget Street property, she could not demolish it. Ian Smallburn, the Resource Consents Manager is ingenious with his claim that the case was too complex for the council planner . Mr Smallburn should resign. He, like Ms Armour, knows the Residential One rule and is well aware, as a council employee he is employed to enforce the council rules and implement their policies. By removing the council consultant planner Mr Jonathan Blackmore and selecting Mr Brooke Dales at the eleventh hour he failed in his duties. Decisions he has made may now be questioned. I take heritage walks through Ponsonby on a regular basis and along Paget Street the mix of the 20 century buildings is appealing and important . Among the gems are Queens Hall, built by a wealthy man for his daughter and a more modest house which was the first Auckland residence of Michael Joseph Savage. When we tamper in Residential One housing, we risk damaging our heritage and losing our history. Councillor Lee and Waitemata Community Board chairman, Shale Chambers are to be congratulated for standing up for this important economic and social issue of heritage.