St Heliers demolition latest

St Heliers property saviours have maintained an overnight vigil as they wait for a decision from the Environment Court on a bid to stall demolition of art deco houses.

Inside sources suggested the bulldozers may not now turn up until Friday but the protestors were taking no chances and will be out in force from dawn today.

As scores of angry citizens maintained anxious vigil from dawn over three bulldozer-threatened St Heliers houses, a stay of execution was sought this afternoon from the Environment Court pending further investigation.

The Save Our St Heliers Inc (SOS) filed an application for an enforcement order under the Resource Management Act to stop the demolition of the controversial art deco-style houses.

SOS spokeswoman Dorothy McHattie, who also heads the Art Deco Society, told National Business Review they expected to know later today if an Environment Court judge would grant the application and order a prompt hearing.

“We sincerely hope an Environment Court judge will stop the demolition and allow a hearing into the whole affair,” Ms McHattie told NBR.

Protesters determined to save the houses took the eleventh-hour action after Auckland mayor Len Brown and interim chief executive Doug McKay refused to issue a heritage assessment order to protect them.

SOS claimed misleading information was given to the council by developers and council officers.

There was no evidence the council had ever undertaken a heritage evaluation, despite rumours and misinformation to the contrary, Ms McHattie said.

“We believe such an assessment will prove once and for all the buildings warrant scheduling.”

Ms McHattie said Mayor Brown and the Auckland city council failed to fulfil their duty to protect a significant part of Auckland’s heritage.

In recent months thousands of Aucklanders voiced their opposition to the planned demolition in Turua Street to make way for a commercial development, Ms McHattie said.

Hundreds of people have taken to the streets – some promising to lie in front of bulldozers – in angry demonstrations against plans by Glendowie developers Mike and Sandra Markham to “erase precious examples of local architectural history.”