Historical city building awarded protection

Campaigner Allan Matson has just won a battle to have the old Auckland Timber Company building on Fanshawe St listed. Photo / Dean Purcell

The future of one of Auckland's long-neglected heritage buildings has been secured with the building's owners withdrawing an appeal against its Category A heritage ranking.

The Auckland Timber Company building in Fanshawe St was added to heritage schedules at the final meeting of the outgoing Auckland City Council last September. The 1870s building came to the council's attention only when a resource consent application was made by a prospective buyer.

While council officers recommended a Category B listing, the council's hearings panel recommended the higher ranking after evidence from campaigner Allan Matson.

The four-storey building with arched windows and rusticated columns was the epicentre of Auckland's villa house-building era in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, taking logs barged from Northland and the Coromandel. Early Auckland identities Captain William Daldy and George Holdship helped form the company.

Owners Omara Property Group opposed any ranking and had lodged an Environment Court appeal.