Council support for heritage protection could boost Gisborne economy

Heritage Tairāwhiti chairman James Blackburne says heritage buildings, if maintained, can "pump" the local economy as has happened in Whanganui. He told Gisborne district councillors that it was Luke Donnelly who successfully fought for the controversial retention of the Peel St toilets. Photo / Paul Rickard

Gisborne District Council support for the protection of heritage buildings can help create jobs, increase property values and be environmentally sustainable.

Heritage Tairāwhiti chairman James Blackburne, in a submission to the council’s Sustainable Tairāwhiti Committee, suggested that some councillors visit Whanganui District Council which had an annual $150,000 heritage fund.

Whanganui was a strong advocate for heritage protection and had become a hub for tourism.

“It’s just absolutely pumping.

“If you haven’t been there in 10 years, you’d be staggered.”

South Dunedin had done something similar and had also enjoyed vast benefits without a huge investment.

Blackburne, who is also on the board of Heritage New Zealand, said heritage, arts and culture generated $15 billion in GDP and “had the potential to be a big part of the regional economy”.

There had previously been a government-funded Heritage EQUIP fund that helped strengthen privately owned earthquake-prone heritage buildings.

In 2016 the fund had $12 million.

Blackburne said the fund, if reinstated, could result in commercial buildings being converted into housing or restored commercial buildings.

Heritage Tairāwhiti had 120 members but no statutory role in protecting heritage – it could only advocate.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZ) maintained a list of heritage buildings but had no heritage protection powers.

HNZ could go to the Environment Court and apply for heritage protection but the list gave no protection.

“A building could be gone tomorrow.”

The council’s schedule of heritage buildings did have protection and the council could go to the Environment Court.

Blackburne said Heritage Tairāwhiti and Heritage New Zealand “had nothing to do” with the controversial effort to protect the Peel St toilets building.

That was as a result of court action taken by Luke Donnelly which stopped the building from being demolished in 1999.

Heritage New Zealand was “reluctantly present” at the court hearing.

A survey conducted prior to the court hearing showed 62 per cent support for the retention and “doing up’' of the building, Blackburne said.

Councillor Josh Wharehinga asked if Blackburne believed the council schedule of buildings should align with the Heritage New Zealand list.

Blackburne said local communities saw heritage differently from Heritage New Zealand.

There were more buildings on local schedules.

It was costly for Heritage New Zealand to list buildings because of the amount of research.

Blackburne said Heritage New Zealand would probably not advocate for councils to “shrink” their lists.

Demolition was costly.

“What goes back into the space costs a hell of a lot of money.

It is not environmentally sensible to demolish all the buildings because it is suddenly releasing a lot of carbon.

“It’s not an environmentally sustainable thing to do.

“It’s much better to do those buildings up.”

Blackburn said it made sense economically and from a community pride point of view.

“For the planet, it’s a better thing to do, we should be advocating for that – not to demolish it.”