Architects blame council for blocks hogging views

An apartment complex promising spectacular harbour scenes but leaving the buildings behind it without a view of the sea has come under fire from a lobby group.

Urban Auckland, a committee of architects concerned with the state of the city's building planning, has put up a billboard opposite the Scene apartments in Beach Rd saying "these apartments didn't need to block the view. Our council planners have let us down".

An arrow points at one of the partly built blocks which, when completed, will house apartments giving 180-degree views of the harbour.

The central-city complex's website says the apartments are designed to "provide everything you ever wanted - with no compromise".

But architect Nigel Cook, one of those behind the billboard, said the problem with the apartments was that they gave everyone in the building spectacular views but left none for the buildings behind.

Mr Cook said Aucklanders valued their views and would pay 20 per cent more for a property with a view than for one without.

Scene would leave the buildings behind it without the same views they once had.

"We're not talking about panoramic views, we're talking about some view - not being hemmed in. But it [the waterfront] is a lost cause."

He also criticised Auckland City Council's planning and resource consents process, saying too many such buildings were given non-notified consents.

"The previous council has been very secretive. If they could get something through without alerting the public they would."

The council confirmed that none of the three resource consents granted to Scene was notified, meaning no public submission process was required before building started.

This is not the first high-rise complex Urban Auckland has criticised.

Others to catch its attention since it was formed in 2000 were the St James Apartment tower in Queen St and the PricewaterhouseCoopers building on the waterfront.

Mr Cook said he expected things to improve under the new council.

Urban Auckland planned an education campaign for the council based on overseas examples of harbour cities that balanced high-rise development with the need to maintain contact with the waterfront.

"Cities like Vancouver have done a marvellous job at managing such things by putting in tall, thin towers a distance apart so you can see through.

"There's nothing mysterious about the problem. If they wanted to look overseas they would see plenty of examples."

Scene developers Redwood Group did not return the Herald's calls. It has said the issue was with council rules, not developers.