The Ngāpipi boatsheds in Ōrākei. An application has been made to demolish one and build a new one in its place.
The Ngāpipi boatsheds in Ōrākei. An application has been made to demolish one and build a new one in its place.
Flooding at one of Auckland’s iconic and historic Ngāpipi boatsheds in Auckland’s Ōrākei has resulted in its rich-list owner applying to demolish the old building and build a new structure higher up from the water, using as much of the old materials as possible.
Five times since the purchase in2023, the shed has either flooded or water has splashed up underneath it, the application said.
Auckland Council has notified the application from planners The Property Group.
They cited the site owner as The Malcolm Dick Trust.
Malcolm Dick, the wealthy entrepreneur who founded CallPlus, said he bought the shed for around $800,000 two years ago but expected the rebuild could cost about $1 million.
That is the only viable option to address flooding and conserve the boatshed into the future, the application said.
Careful deconstruction and reconstruction were planned, using the existing fabric to the greatest extent possible.
The trust only bought the boatshed in 2023 but it has periodic flooding and coastal inundation, particularly in high tides.
Flooding at one of the Ngapipi boatsheds in Auckland. These images were in the assessment of environmental effects in the application from planners The Property Group. That application said The Malcolm Dick Trust owns the boatshed.
Five times, the sea has encroached into the shed or slapped up against the underside of its floor, the assessment of environmental effects said.
“The applicant is concerned about the condition of the existing boatshed structure and the effects that the inundation has already had on it,” it said.
Boatshed 14 is set back from the other boatsheds and is notably smaller than them at 10.6m long x 3.7m wide.
Application to demolish the smallest shed, which is set back on the water and street from all the others.
The structure is founded on timber piles assumed to be embedded into the foreshore, as well as timber jack studs on concrete piles in the foreshore, with a timber subfloor.
The exterior is simple – gable ended with a pitched roof, cream-coloured cladding and grey and white corrugated iron roof cladding.
The frame of the shed is made of timber. Doors are located at each end of the shed, providing an entrance from the roadside and water access.
Boat shed No 16 was up for sale in 2019.
Decomposing wood was found by John Brown of Plan.Heritage. He prepared a heritage impact assessment supporting the application.
It was not considered appropriate to repair the boatshed structure. Dismantling the shed would result in both temporary and permanent adverse effects on the physical attributes of the site, the application acknowledged.
A new jetty, gangway and floating pontoon are proposed at the seaward end of the boatshed. The proposal involves underwater earthworks and piling. Renewal of the coastal permit for a 35-year duration is also sought.
Kyle Porter Architects have been engaged to manage building works and ramp.
“Their primary concern and generator of the work required is the periodic inundation of the shed by sea water. The inundation renders the shed non-functional for them and this needs to be remedied,” the architects said.
“Common sense says the inundation relates to sea-level rise and will only worsen with time. The owners are concerned about the condition of the existing boatshed structure and the effects that the inundation has already had on it,” the architects said.
Dick acknowledged Heritage New Zealand wanted the shed kept because it was “part of the story of the boatsheds”. He uses the shed to go fishing from, and storing fishing and water sports gear such as canoes.
The shed was unusual because it was the smallest of the 17 and set well back, Dick said.
People can make submissions about the application from Thursday till June 24.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald‘s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
