'Guarded hope' on inner-city feature

Auckland City mayor Dick Hubbard walks through Vulcan Lane. Picture / Greg Bowker

Fashion leaders are expressing some hope of preserving Vulcan Lane following talks with Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard, who returned from holiday yesterday to front the public fury over a $1.2 million makeover.

Zambesi owner Neville Findlay said Mr Hubbard had a sympathetic ear and now fully understood the issues and the passion held by Aucklanders for the lane but stressed "the war is not won yet".

Speaking after nearly an hour of talks, Mr Findlay said Mr Hubbard indicated the council would review its plans to tear up the red pavers and strips of river pebbles for bluestone pavers.

"That gives some guarded hope but he wants to consult other people," Mr Findlay said.

Another fashion figure campaigning to save the 1970s-era lane, Andrew Bishop, of Feline, said it was pleasing to see the mayor "come between us and the planning department".

"He is the one who has to sort it out. It is his city. He is the mayor," Mr Bishop said.

Mr Hubbard said he was pleased to hear where the fashion leaders were coming from and get a history of the lane but he wanted more time to talk to council officers, some of whom were away until next week, to find the "right answer".

He disputed the statement by a council officer on Tuesday that the council was "wedded to bluestone".

The Herald has received dozens of emails, almost all of them opposed to the council plans for bluestone paving, new seating and tui feeders on Auckland's stylish pedestrian strip.

This followed outrage from Mr Findlay, Mr Bishop and Workshop's Chris Cherry at Vulcan Lane's becoming a victim to the "bland, homogeneous" bluestone look that the council is using in the central business district.

Earlier in the day Mr Hubbard visited Vulcan Lane and described the state of the pavers as deteriorating, full of holes and asphalt patches where there were no pavers. He saw a woman place her heel in a hole and stumble.

Mr Hubbard said he understood the 30-year-old pavers were no longer in production and could not be made.

The Herald spoke to two paving companies who said the pavers could be made. Paving Slab Company manager Bernie Bolstad said: "Nothing is impossible these days. There is absolutely nothing to stop us making them."

Mr Hubbard said the council went through a three-stage consultation process, starting with a stakeholders survey last year inviting thoughts on Vulcan Lane. That was followed by council officers coming up with four options, further consultation, and a final plan that combined ideas from the four options. Further work was done to ensure as little disruption as possible for businesses in Vulcan Lane.

Derek Harries, who owns a property in Vulcan Lane, said there was no consultation.

"We received an invite to a review of a number of options that the council had proposed. The decision was made to proceed by then, I don't call that consultation.

"I walked out of the meeting in disgust. To me it was council working on a divide and rule policy.

"For all the talk, the council displays an appalling arrogance."

Penny Sefuiva, the chairwoman of the arts, culture and recreation committee that approved the makeover in March, said there was not the level of opposition during the consultation process six months ago than there was now.

What it's about

* The Auckland City Council wants to replace the old red paving stones in Vulcan Lane off Queen St with dark blue stones which it plans to use around the city centre.

* Shopkeepers say the new look will ruin the character of the street.

* An overwhelming majority of emails from Herald readers - after the Weekend Herald raised the issue on Saturday - agree with them.

* Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard - just back from holiday - now says the council has not reached a final decision.