Cameron Brewer – Auckland Councillor for Orakei

Sunday, 12 December 2010

Councillor to broker 11th hour meeting with St Heliers developer

At a meeting of nearly 250 people this afternoon on the imminent demolition of the art deco houses in Turua Street, St Heliers, Orakei Councillor Cameron Brewer suggested he broker a meeting with some key locals and the developer.

“The developer has legally obtained a demolition permit to demolish the houses and has a resource consent to build his development. However I’m calling an urgent meeting with him to outline the community’s frustrations at losing this local heritage and to make one last appeal to build a development that is sympathetic to St Heliers,” says Cameron Brewer.

“I am not promising anything but I will get around the table with him and reflect the community.”

Mr Brewer said this was the biggest public meeting St Heliers has had about such an issue in living memory. Despite the very hot day, the local hall filled up and even the organisers were surprised by the turn-out. Attendees also voiced their anger at the three-storey development on the corner of Maheke Street and Tamaki Drive, currently under construction.

“Locals are disappointed that the St Heliers Centre Plan, which became operative last year after years of consultation, is failing to deliver. Locals were promised that St Heliers’ seaside village character would be retained, but so far only the opposite seems to be happening.”

The newly-elected councillor described the St Heliers developments as a hospital pass given they were signed-off under the previous Auckland City Council.

“The Save Turua Street people have done a great job raising the issues. I found them a planning barrister who has given them some free advice. However given the time constraints the only real option now is to appeal directly to the developer.

“The new council has got to do better if it wants Auckland to retain 100 distinct villages. We’ve got to start treating locals and heritage advocates with more respect. The fact that this meeting attracted so much interest shows that a lot of people have had enough,” says Cameron Brewer.

Ends

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