Auckland City Council Media release

13 March 2008

Council welcomes ADHB offer on Building 5

Auckland City Council has retained Greenlane Hospital's Building 5 on the proposed schedule of heritage buildings. The Mayor and council welcomed an offer from the Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) to seek community input on future uses for the building.

The council's City Development Committee made the decision today after hearing in public forum an offer from the ADHB chairperson Pat Snedden to delay demolition of the building until the public have a chance to come up with alternative uses for the building.

Building 5 at Greenlane Hospital was among 30 items proposed for scheduling following a community consultation in 2004. The Auckland District Health Board opposed that scheduling and gave the council new information about the building. As a result, it just failed to meet the council's criteria for heritage protection.

Chairperson Councillor Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga said the committee wanted the building to remain on the schedule to enable another opportunity to debate the heritage values of the building.

"We welcome the initiative of Mr Snedden to appear before us today and offer to postpone any move to demolish the building until the public has a chance to come up with alternative commercial uses for the building," Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

The ADHB has resource consent to demolish the building, but this is subject to appeal through the Environment Court.

ENDS

© Scoop Media