Editorial: Worth the fight

5:29 AM Tuesday Sep 25, 2012

The 1905 villa on the corner of Lawrence St and Jervois Rd in Auckland. Photo / Chris Gorman

Finally, a building worth saving in Auckland's tangled debate on heritage protection.

The attractive, century-old Herne Bay villa on the corner of Jervois Rd and Lawrence St is the first for a while to justify public agitation against its planned removal - and to be worthy of intervention by the Mayor, Len Brown, and his council.

Its prominence and street appeal set it apart from so many dreary bungalows or nondescript villas on by-roads, loved only in their pending or actual absence.

The heritage cause has suffered from a war cry that anything over a certain age deserves the city's protection, no matter how poorly maintained or designed.

Authorities should engage again with the owner to explore this building's future. Its fate will show how serious Auckland is about preserving its villages' character.

concerned mother (South Auckland) | 09:24AM Tuesday, 25 Sep 2012

There are many residences in the greater Auckland area worthy of retaining as heritage buildings. Sadly most of them are in less affluent suburbs and being demolished or removed to the leafy inner suburbs to make way for cheap leaky multi story"townhouses" type dwellings. Some of these houses being ripped away are original NZ settler homes, fencible cottages, railway houses, military officer homes, farm houses from the early estates.

Shops, halls, industrial buildings and other landmarks from our beginnings as a nation are being written off and out of our rich history. The Great South road and its by ways are the main arterial links that have kept our heart pumping. Town planners and unscrupulous developers are clogging them with plaque. Save our city. All of it

Giant Stirring Spoon (New Zealand) | 09:24AM Tuesday, 25 Sep 2012

"Finally, a building worth saving in Auckland's tangled debate on heritage protection."?! There are plenty of buildings in Auckland that are worth saving that are currently under threat. For an example The St. James Theatre (www.facebook.com/Savethestjames) "worthy" don't you think?

TruthHurts (New Zealand) | 09:25AM Tuesday, 25 Sep 2012

Is it because this building is in "swanky" Herne Bay that you take this approach? There are heritage buildings all over Auckland is less "swanky" areas being demolished, how come you are silent on these?