Autumn 2015 NATIONAL FOCUS Creative approach in heritage retention Public safety is, and remains, the priority for Heritage New Zealand when looking at a building’s retention and long-term future. With the spotlight firmly on strengthening buildings the option of doing nothing is simply not acceptable. Increasingly a The Category 1 Harcourts Building on Lambton Quay. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND) creative approach in finding solutions to adaptively reuse Street which is fully tenanted by a government dismissed the appeal by Lambton Quay heritage buildings is bringing ministry, while the likes of the Old Public Trust Properties Nominee Limited under Section 121 significant benefits to owners, Building on the corner of Lambton Quay of the Resource Management Act 1991 upon developers, tenants and the and Stout Street is currently going through referral back from the High Court. strengthening and sympathetic redevelopment wider public nationwide. Heritage New Zealand Chief Executive Bruce ahead of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage Chapman says the decision, as well as providing moving in later in the year. IN WELLINGTON, for example, there are a guidance to owners and councils (see Editorial large number of heritage buildings in the CBD The Harcourts Building on Lambton Quay is also on page 3), underlines the importance of that highlight what can be achieved through set to remain part of the city’s streetscape for working nationwide with owners and councils strengthening and refurbishing to give them many years to come following the Environment to ensure heritage buildings have a viable future 21st century fittings and functionality. These Court’s recent decision to decline an application by looking at adaptive reuse options. include the former Defence Building on Stout for demolition. Environment Judge Jeff Smith CONTINUED OVER > heritage.org.nz 1 Contents 1 NATIONAL FOCUS 12/13 CENTRAL REGION Creative approach in heritage Marking our nation’s respect retention 14 CENTRAL REGION Inside the Harcourts Building entrance. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND) 2 CONTENTS Rich history in GHQ Building 3 EDITORIAL 15 SOUTHERN REGION “The Wellington City District Plan sets a high Heritage New Zealand Chief Best practice conservation at threshold for the demolition of its highest Executive Bruce Chapman Isaac Theatre Royal ranked heritage buildings and the overarching objective and policy clearly discourages 4/5 FEATURE INTERVIEW CENTRAL REGION demolition, and this was an important element Dr Matt Schmidt: Enjoying stories Wahi tapu listing for unique in the Harcourts case,” says Bruce. of the people Nelson landscape feature “There are strengthening and refurbishment 6 NORTHERN REGION 16/17 NORTHERN REGION examples around New Zealand that show a safe and commercially viable asset can result Submissions on Auckland’s Take the test … Proposed Unitary Plan from a proactive approach by an owner with Voice behind the stories brings architects and engineers. The Britomart complex 7 NORTHERN REGION history alive in Auckland and the transformation of Dunedin’s warehouse district are other blueprints for Mangungu celebrations a 18 CENTRAL REGION owners to see what can be achieved. Similar success Historic ‘Westoe’ becomes a projects are underway in Canterbury following NATIONAL FOCUS training school the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. Public safety is the core driver of any discussion and decision. Chance for public to have 19 NORTHERN REGION their say “Through managing 48 properties in our care On the right trail in Northland and working with building owners we know that 8 SOUTHERN REGION CENTRAL REGION strengthening and adaptive reuse is possible in New life for Rangiora’s ‘Old Dame’ the majority of cases.” Fine example of modernist architecture recognised Bruce acknowledges the costs of strengthening 9 NORTHERN REGION are hugely challenging for many owners, and Centenary of faith at Ohinemutu 20 NORTHERN REGION often not possible without financial incentives. Honey House Café a hive of 10/11 EQUINE ANZAC “Assistance is on offer from local councils which activity MEMORIALS is actively promoted by Heritage New Zealand. Remembering the horses of We also administer the National Heritage World War I Preservation Incentive Fund on behalf of the government which financially assists owners Memorial to Bess a poignant with conservation. tribute “Owners do face difficult choices in strengthening earthquake-prone buildings. The economic reality Members of Heritage New Zealand can visit its properties is that in some cases strengthening cannot be for free, visit www.heritage.org.nz. done, so we need to prioritise and be smart about what can be kept.” n See Editorial page 3 2 heritage.org.nz EDITORIAL Seismic strengthening of buildings to ensure public safety is an issue Heritage New Zealand has promoted for a number of years, with the focus sharpened following the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. Where there are viable alternatives to retain significant heritage buildings other than demolition they need to be fully considered by the owner. Harcourts – the case In his evidence Wellington-based property owner and developer Sir Robert Jones said well The decision late last year by the Environment preserved and located heritage commercial buildings command a premium everywhere, Court to reaffirm the retention of the Harcourts having a prestige and pride of ownership factor Building in central Wellington was a positive end and that there was overwhelming evidence to BRUCE CHAPMAN to an important case. support this. Code-compliant heritage buildings OUR WORK with those who own and care code compliant with its heritage values are becoming increasingly desirable to for heritage places is done, primarily, out of preserved. The Environment Court considered businesses because they can offer a unique the public eye and it is not often we take the that there were reasonable alternatives to point of difference, a character setting and step of testing an owner’s decision about a demolition. The owner has since indicated can be modified and retrofitted with 21st building’s future through the courts, but this that he intends to strengthen the building century fittings. The challenge is adapting case – precedent-setting as it has proved – and secure tenants which Heritage New these buildings for reuse to better suit the was one that needed to be taken. Zealand supports. Wellington’s heritage will commercial property market, and amending be the richer for its retention. and enhancing floor plates to promote an Through it the court considered the option environment conducive to securing economic of retaining and strengthening a significant Several key principles highlighted by this success for the owner and tenant. heritage building against the owner’s case were detailed in my editorial piece preference of demolition and the decision which was published in the Dominion Post Investment in strengthening has worked for has set a precedent as to how Category 1 newspaper in 2013 and are worth reinforcing. owners in Wellington. It has resulted in highly properties are treated by authorities under the It is essential that commercial property owners tenanted buildings that enhance the city’s Resource Management Act and how that Act undertake pre-purchase due diligence with heritage value and character. Examples of can work alongside the Building Act. respect to District Plan rules and earthquake privately-owned properties include Shed 22 strengthening requirements. When resource and the former DIC, BNZ, Whitcoulls, Odlins, The Harcourts Building is an eight-storey consent applications are made for demolition Wellington Free Ambulance, Morgan, and Chicago style building built in 1928 on Lambton of protected heritage buildings genuine Huddart Parker buildings to name a few. And Quay. It was recognised as a Category 1 historic attempts must be made to evaluate all there are many other examples nationwide. place in 1990 and remains on the New Zealand available options for retention with costs and Heritage List/Rarangi Korero. It was listed for In his evidence to the Environment Court Sir benefits appropriately assigned. In this case protection in the Wellington City Council’s Robert aptly summed up the relationship the owner indicated that all of the costs of District Plan in 1994, well before its acquisition between owners, engineers and architects seismic strengthening could be attributed by the current owner. In July 2012 the council working together in retaining and reusing to the Harcourts Building while ignoring the issued an earthquake prone building notice our valued heritage buildings when he said: significant benefits accruing to the adjoining under the Building Act, requiring it to be “Engineering is often viewed as a profession HSBC building which was not built until 2002 strengthened so it was no longer earthquake with prescribed standard remedies, but it’s and has the same owner. prone, or alternatively demolished by July 2027. simply not true, instead it can be highly The Environment Court considered the facts of creative. Often a design solution is arrived at After an appeal by the owner to the High the case on their merits, against the applicable through an imaginative process.” Court in relation to the Environment Court’s law and plan rules. This process tested what refusal to grant the consent for demolition, That there continue to be such examples of was appropriate and/or fair not only to the the matter was referred back to the innovative thinking taking place nationwide owner but the wider public in taking into Environment Court on two points of law. augurs well for the retention of our most account variables including economic, social, There it was determined that there was an important heritage landmarks. n historic, architectural and public safety impacts economic case for the building’s retention, on a building’s retention or otherwise. BRUCE CHAPMAN and that it could be safely repaired and made CHIEF EXECUTIVE heritage.org.nz 3 FEATURE INTERVIEW Matt at Moonlight Creek water race, Mount Creighton pastoral lease near Queenstown.