Couple accused of demolition by stealth

By ANNE BESTON and WAYNE THOMPSON

Leading knitwear designer Caroline Sills has come under fire from Devonport heritage advocates who say her home renovation is demolition by stealth.

Mrs Sills and her husband, Lloyd, have council consent to renovate a large 1880s home on the seaside village's waterfront.

But North Shore City councillor and heritage buff Andrew Eaglen is complaining that the work has gone beyond what was expected.

"You can't see a stick of the original house - except for two bay windows leaning against a fence," he said.

The Sills applied to demolish the Buchanan St house two years ago but were turned down after a full public hearing by planning commissioners.

They came back for permission to do renovations, which included raising the roof for an attic and replacing wooden floors with concrete.

Mr Eaglen said the permit was carefully worded so that the building's street facade and outside walls were to be kept in place while work went on.

Instead, the facade was moved and had now disappeared.

Mr Eaglen said the structure should have been stabilised to look after it during work so it would not be destroyed.

"Unfortunately we can't now bring it back."

He said the council's credibility in heritage control was threatened if it were to ignore what had happened on the Sills' site. "A lot of people come to the council with a minor request such as to put in a window and are put through the rigmarole.

"We have to be seen as dealing fairly with everybody."

Mr Sills said the local uproar over the work was stressful for him and his wife, who were long-time Devonport residents.

He said the house was full of borer.

"We haven't done anything different to the plan except we could not manage to keep the roadside facade standing."

He said the facade collapsed when the builders tried to move it out while lowering the floor.

The new building would look "as old as we can make it", he said. It would have a verandah around it and a bay window in the front.

The couple had formerly restored a Stanley Bay home which was much admired.

But Margot McRae of Devonport Heritage said the consent for the renovation was demolition by stealth.

There were different opinions on the historic merit of the house but she did not accept the Sills' argument that it was beyond repair.

"If the Sills can get away with what they've done it makes a mockery of the whole consent process on the North Shore. they have thumbed their noses at the process," she said.

Devonport Community Board chairman Mike Cohen supported a council investigation.

He said few people applied to demolish Devonport homes - mainly for the economic reason that heritage was prized.

"People move to Devonport because it's a historic maritime village with the Edwardian-Victorian look.

"But, I'm sure that whatever the Sills do it will be a nice looking house, because they have taste."

North Shore City Council compliance team leader David Frith said he was investigating a possible breach of the Resource Management Act.

Mr Frith said it would have been helpful if the builders had come to the council immediately they struck problems with a weak wall structure.

A full explanation was expected next week.

Caroline Sills produces designer knitwear, some of it for export, and her husband is a company director.