Spend-up on Remuera property raises local hackles

Work is continuing on Rod Duke's house in Bell Rd, Remuera. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Retailing king Rod Duke's $4 million expansion of his historic Remuera property, Woodcroft, has raised his neighbour's hackles.

The Briscoes and Rebel Sport owner has almost half a hectare, spanning two street blocks, and has just built a tennis court with its own two-level pavilion.

He bought Woodcroft five years ago. About two years later, he bought two Bell Rd properties, removed houses and began working on extension plans.

But not everyone is as delighted as Mr Duke with the changes. A Bell Rd neighbour has written to Mayor Dick Hubbard, complaining about the removal of a 100-year-old bluestone wall and the axing of a pohutukawa and titoki.

Mr Duke said attempts were made to keep the trees and the wall but the wall on Auckland City Council land was collapsing and the council demolished it. He was paying for a new bluestone wall to be built.

The trees were on a steep slope and became unstable once the wall was pulled down.

A council arborist decided the trees were a health and safety threat and would be replaced with mature trees.

The neighbour has also complained about "fortress-style" gates on Bell Rd, but Mr Duke said the wrought iron gates were designed to be in keeping with Woodcroft and would soon be fitted with copper fern-leaf panels. These new gates would match the existing 4.5-tonne automatic twin gates at the front of the property.

Mr Duke, formerly of St Heliers, made his debut on the National Business Review Rich List at $320 million in 2003.

He wanted to buy a $10 million Herne Bay mansion but the Sultan of Brunei beat him to that so he opted instead for Remuera and an 1870s heart kauri colonial weatherboard manor, steeped in history.

The renovations include a new astroturf, floodlight court built into a hill sloping down to Bell Rd. Beneath the court is a triple garage and services for the property, including plant room, filters for the garden waterfall and air-conditioning units for the new guesthouse / pavilion above, which was designed by heritage specialist Stephen Cashmore to be in keeping with Woodcroft, home to one of Auckland's most notable citizens, Reverend Dr John Kinder.

The Anglican minister and schoolmaster migrated to New Zealand in 1855.

"He also owned 64 acres of Remuera, but I'm not quite there yet," said Mr Duke, who has spent more than $1 million landscaping his property.


Rod Duke's refurbished property has:
* Woodcroft, a two-level, colonial weatherboard homestead built in 1870s.
* Swimming pool beneath wisteria-covered return verandas.
* Two golf greens, complete with sand bunker to challenge unsuspecting guests.
* New two-level guesthouse pavilion beneath Woodcroft.
* New flood-lit tennis courts covered in astroturf and sprinkled with sand.
* Just under half a hectare of section, newly planted, mainly in indigenous species.