Resource Consent for development on corner of Tinakori Rd / Park St - Declined

The Hearings Commissioner has DECLINED the application by CapitalSkinz Limited to Wellington City Council to construct a three storey commercial building at 92 Tinakori Road Thorndon. This was to  comprise medical facilities, retail and café activities including associated earthworks and signage.

Click here to view the Commissioner's report.

Resource Consent Application for non-residential land use cnr Tinakori Rd & Park St

WCC have publicly notified an application for resource consent to build a commercial building on the corner of Tinakori Road (92,& 96-98) and Park Street (3-5).

The proposal is to construct a three-story commercial building (up to 11.95m high) comprising office, retail and cafe activities (i.e. all non-residential), and includes associated earthworks, signage and parking.

Notification documents are accessible from these links: 

1. Public Notice and instructions to submitters

2. Section 95A-95F notification decision report

3. WCC Advisors Assessments:

    a. Earthworks

    b. Contaminatamination

    c. Transportation

    d. Noise

    e. Vehicle access

    f. Urban Design

4. Cardno’s response to Section 92 Letter (further information provided)

5. Further Information

6. Application document

7. Application drawings/plans

Village precinct enhancements

Pavers are going to feature quotes from creative people from Thorndon, such as Rita Angus, Katherine Mansfield and Douglas Lilburn. Other maintenance such as  footpath resealing and new sections of kerbing in some streets is also included in the project.

Read more here:
http://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/news/2014/08/improvements-to-tinakori-village

Have you been tagged ?

Emma wrote to us ...

As summer kicks in we sometimes see an increase in graffiti and tagging in our communities.  It is highly frustrating and can leave people feeling victimised and unsafe.  I have attached a flyer that gives some information on how to remove graffiti and a voucher for free and/or discounted paint at Resene to help paint out graffiti/tagging.  I thought you could put this (or the information contained in it) in your next residents association e-newsletter or let residents know that they can pick a flyer up from their local library.

Click here for an online version of the flyer.

Working together and getting everyone on board is the most effective way to get rid of graffiti in our communities.  Every little bit helps.

If you have any questions around graffiti do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanks

Emma Titcombe
City Safety Advisor, City Safety
City Services and Events
Wellington City Council
P 803 8200      
F 801 3681
E emma.titcombe@wcc.govt.nz

No extra consent rules

As part of preparations to make changes to the District Plan, WCC's Strategic and Policy Committee has decided that inner residential Thorndon shall face no additional consent rules.

Following three years of conversation between residents (TRA) and Council there is now increased recognition of the diversity of Thorndon's neighbourhoods and our 'living' suburb. And at least some appreciation that we need to enhance our homes with modern innovations without undue additional constraints imposed by the Regulator.

Proposed changes to the District Plan will publicly consulted before Council adopt them.

(click on the article to enlarge it)

WCC Strategy Committee to consider residential heritage in Thorndon

WCC's Strategy and Policy Committee is about to consider the approach to Heritage Management in the Residential Areas of Thorndon.

WCC's Strategy and Policy Committee have the reports/recommendations from Officers. The Committee is meeting on Thursday 23rd June, 2011.

These reports have only just become available for TRA representatives leaving little time digest the content or to consult with members.

Five (5) reports have been tabled for this agenda item. Link from WCC webpages:

http://www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyoursay/meetings/committee/Strategy_and_Policy/2011/23Jun0915/agenda.html

Draft Thorndon Design Guidelines

In mid May 2011, WCC's urban planners convened a workshop to discuss possible residential design guidelines for Thorndon. TRA representatives participated. Here is the draft report.

The revision marks are by the TRA's representatives. This report will be discussed at the WCC convened Thorndon Advisory Group meeting, Tuesday 7 June.

Background to the project.

Historic classification = lower resale

One of Auckland's oldest homes on a huge Parnell main street site has sold for $2.5 million - well below its QV rating valuation of $4.2 million. Someone is quoted saying "It reflects its historic classification - it is very restrictive what work you can do to any part of the property." Is this an exceptional case?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10730154

How do we ensure that residential home owners in Thorndon don't end up bearing costs to benefit a wider good?

The New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation published a viewpoint on the issue. http://www.iscr.org.nz/f515,14989/14989_July_2009_ver7.pdf

Scroll to p14 - Non-compensation It's Not Just

Some of the older posts in this blog outline WCC's approach to introducing heritage provisions to our suburb. (click on the 'heritage' tag to find related posts)

Place-based planning - example feedback

click on the image to enlarge it

An example of feedback from TRA representatives provided to WCC's place-based study. This response characterised aspects of the Hobson precinct (area 10); illustrating gaps in the house style patterns (original style dwellings in green).

Place-based planning - WCC Gears-up for Community Walks

WCC is proceeding with a proposal to hold two organised walks around Thorndon that will be especially designed to better engage residents in the place-based study which is currently underway.

It is also planned to book a stall at the Hill Street Farmers Market to help advertise what is going on.

The objective of both the stall and walks is to publicise background information which has been gathered (including through past community consultation) and which is now being used in a place-based study. Both officers and TRA sub-commmittee members intend to be available to answer questions and/or provide information about the processes to date. There will be opportunities for anyone to provide feedback.

WCC's urban planners are keen to move on this consultation proposal. They would also like to know who might be available to help prepare for (and guide) the walks and to provide local background information (in particular streets) and commentary. If you would like to participate in this way please let us know.

The timing so far would suggest that the stall would be set up on one or two Saturday mornings in April (not Easter); and the walks could then take place on the same weekends on either or both the Saturday afternoon, or Sunday morning or afternoon.

The suggested dates for these events are 9 and 16 April 2011. TRA members - please let the committee know whether you would like to help on either or both of these two weekends.

Email: thorndonresidents@gmail.com or contact a committee member

Once the dates are confirmed the two opportunities for the community to engage, will be notified by way of a letter sent to all residents and ratepayers in Thorndon and also through the 'Our Wellington Page' in the Dominion-Post.

Thorndon Place-based study update

Council officers are gathering research to prepare a place-based study for Thorndon. A Thorndon Advisory Group was established in November 2010 and the TRA has representation.

Much more information is accessible from this link

http://www.wellington.govt.nz/projects/new/thorndon/thorndonheritage.html

Navigate to the Advisory Group Meetings page for minutes, milestones and information shared at the meetings.

New Futures - rethinking heritage in New Zealand's urban places

http://www.historicplaces.org.nz/events/RypkemaWLN-17Nov.aspx

A seminar on 17 November 2010 will cover the following topics:

• Measuring the economic impact of heritage in urban revitalisation
• Adaptive reuse opportunities
• Planning and urban design tools to reduce barriers to investment in older buildings
• Public private partnerships in heritage conservation
• Case studies: myths and realities in the comparison of adaptive reuse and new construction

Do I cry or do I smile?

As a citizen, rate payer and long time resident of Thorndon I would like to seek clarification from the Thorndon Residents Association (TRA) on the progress made by the Wellington City Council to resolve the issue of the historic precinct and the matters relating to its proposed requirements to ‘police’ renovation and building within the area.

Am I correct in understanding that the Wellington City Council (Council), after over a year of consultation, brought about mainly by the efforts of the TRA and interested parties, has made no decision about this matter? Does this mean the Council has given up its time wasting and ludicrous plans to dictate what resident owners can and cannot do to their properties?

The Council’s misguided work must have cost thousands of dollars while the Council boffins worked tirelessly to be as uncooperative as possible to find a way of planning for others properties. Let alone the hours of work, given freely by the TRA members and other concerned citizens to the consultation and development of cases against the regulations and policies that were to be mandated.

At a time of fiscal tension I would have thought the Council should have been more careful with its spending. At a time when citizens are meant to be consulted with and an honest dialogue is encouraged it has been very sad to see a ‘Clayton’s democratic process of consultation’ in play and then no conclusion. This is not a game to residents of the area. If there is so much money in the Council’s coffers let’s have a few pavements fixed and better lighting in the suburb.

Since all went quiet I have noticed on my walks around the area changes being made to houses that are in keeping with the heritage look of the suburb. There has been no need for ‘policing’. These owners have sympathy for the ‘look’ of the suburb, bringing back the grace and charm of older properties which have been in decline for years. Congratulations to those who have brought fresh life to rundown parts of Thorndon and completed their building with care and sympathy to the surrounding dwellings and suburb as a whole.

Perhaps the Council could review what it is looking at and take a focused view on the ugly buildings encroaching on the area e.g. Muturoa St. Glass and steel overhanging in all directions (great for an earthquake) and the large monstrosity being built in Molesworth St. What an irony. For so many years the site of the Thai Embassy was the haunt for drug addicts, run-aways and the graffiti kings and queens of Wellington. The building was unsafe with few floors still remaining and an eyesore that haunted the area. Neither the Council, Police nor other authorities were interested in cleaning up this area. Public Health and Safety went out the window. Oh sorry it was diplomatic land – not good enough. No other rate payer would get away with this type of neglect.

Is the Council willing to now write that the flawed process of imposing additional restrictions, policies, regulations and permits is OVER?

CMM

Mayor calls review of earthquake-strengthening policies

Mayor Prendergast is calling for a review of the Council's earthquake-strengthening policies. Council staff will be asked to canvas a number of issues including whether the Council should:

• revisit the review of the quake-prone buildings policy with a view to tightening the deadlines again
• seek relaxation, where appropriate, of heritage rules to allow more latitude and flexibility in strengthening work. This could include the replacement of heavy masonry features like parapets or chimneys with replicas built from light materials like glass-fibre, timber or carbon-fibre.
• consider changes to District Plan rules to allow the demolition of some older buildings with less heritage value
• look at rule changes to force some building owners, if they can't afford to strengthen, to remove heavy and dangerous features like parapets and chimneys from the roofs and facades of some buildings
• increase grant funding to help more building owners complete strengthening work.

Further information

Our Quake-risk Buildings: Mayor Seeks Review

Map of the fault rupture hazard area in Thorndon

GNSscience video about the Wellington Fault Line

Mayor's view after visiting Christchurch (15/9/10)

Thorndon Residential Project - initialisation stage

The thinking caps are now on for the place-based study of residential Thorndon. This proposal was an outcome following the extensive consultation undertaken during 2009/10 on options for managing Thorndon's residential heritage.

An initial meeting was held this week with WCC's Director Strategy, Planning and Urban Design (Teena Pennington) and others, including Councillors. Teena has extended the invitation to the community to provide feedback on the suggested approach. In particular, ideas on overall project engagement and ideas on specific engagement opportunities that would be helpful at defined stages of the project.

It is envisaged that an engagement plan will be confirmed in conjunction with the Thorndon community.

Please add comments to this post, or email thorndonresidents@gmail.com

Update (23 September)

The TRA sub-committee has carefully reviewed WCC's initial documents. The committee has provided comments and redrawn the diagram of the proposed workflow (to emphasise the importance of engagement of the community as an active part of the decision-making process).

• TRA feedback
• community collaboration model / workflow diagram

WCC recommendations on heritage management in residential Thorndon

A report for WCC's Strategy and Policy Committee (SPC) was released today. It reports on the outcomes of the consultation process and recommends an approach to managing the heritage values of Thorndon.

Five regulatory options have been identified to better manage heritage values in residential Thorndon.

The TRA sub-committee is reviewing the report. The committee would like to hear your views and to collate feedback for Councillors. You are invited to share your views by emailing thorndonresidents@gmail.com by 5PM Monday 2nd August 2010. Otherwise make a comment to this post.

There is only a small window of opportunity for the TRA committee to collate and provide Association feedback in time for the SPC meeting on Thursday morning ( 5th August ).

Authorities assault our streetscapes

This blog has previous postings related to the unsightly and unwelcomed Hobson St bridge gantries that appeared out of nowhere i.e. there was no public consultation. Streetscape has been a theme during the conversation over heritage values in Thorndon.

Here are some images of the streetscapes that authorities have installed in public spaces of our character suburb. From tank-busting bollards to interrupting bridge balustrades and vistas with razor wire.

Radio NZ programme on heritage

Should councils and government interfere with the rights and intentions of private property owners? On Radio NZ's Sunday Morning programme today Chris Laidlaw discussed the issues surrounding heritage architecture with architects Marshall Cook and Jeremy Salmond. And campaigner Allan Matson explained some of the legal issues that can help or hinder the preservation of historic buildings.

A now familiar (to those in Thorndon following the residential heritage conversation) range of questions arose and opinions shared. Here are some snippets (follow the link above to hear their context) :

• Have we got the rules right?
• What is the right division of responsibility?
• Is it an issue of selective keeping?
• Is it subjective and hard to sort the value from the dramatic?
• Can you really have hard and fast rules?
• New buildings should be better than those they replace.
• The villa doesn't have any particular intrinsic value; it's out of date with contemporary lifestyles.
• Will we see villas gradually replaced?
• All about streetscape and quality of the street too - walls, footpaths, cars, trees, etc.
• Evolution rather than revolution.
• Don't freeze things in time.
• Link between garden city suburb and the city is important.
• How many modern buildings can you put into a traditional suburb and then still call it a traditional suburb?
• When constraints are placed on a precinct then it becomes a political issue. Planning, property, and the value of land lead inevitably to it being a political issue.
• Private property rights are sacrosanct.
• Can a urban design panel have sufficient opinion to influence their Commissioners?
• It seems that heritage is a legitimate part of town planning but it is a retrospective act ... it is always evaluating by looking back.
• It is important to keep mobility in thinking.
• Is a regulatory shakeup needed?
• We're always in transition.

We look forward to seeing what Wellington's regulators are thinking when their report is made public early in August.

Residential heritage – the next report

At a special meeting with the TRA held on 29th June, Teena Pennington, WCC’s Director for Strategy and Urban Design, provided an update on recent developments. These related specifically to the public consultations earlier this year and all the matters arising during the extended community conversation on managing Thorndon residential heritage values.

The urban planners’ work was initially undertaken within a framework of WCC’s rolling reviews of the City’s district plan. The question of heritage had been wrapped into one of these reviews. Following strong community reaction, the council agreed to an extended community consultation specifically for Thorndon. It was acknowledged that since 2009 considerably more is now known about the issues, including how the status quo is not a desirable state of affairs, either. Many stories have been uncovered of difficult and unsatisfactory resource consent processes under current council arrangements.

Questions remain unanswered on the issue of whether resource consents are necessarily the best or only option for managing residential properties and streetscapes in Thorndon. Members raised many additional questions: about principles, individual property rights, compensation, and governance of streetscapes.

A council officers’ report on the community consultation - summarising the outcomes and making recommendations - is being prepared for the council’s Strategy and Policy Committee meeting on August 5th 2010. The Council has publicly committed itself to being guided and informed by what the community wants. Council officers have confirmed their report will be made public a week before the committee meeting. The TRA awaits the report with interest.

Invitation: Managing Residential Heritage

Agenda

(i) welcome

(ii) brief outline of the steps to date by a member of the TRA sub-committee

(iii) discussion with the Director for urban planning

Background

Consideration of the district plan and options for managing 'heritage' values in Thorndon continue to percolate. The TRA has been aware of proposals since March 2009. Now, following considerable feedback from the community, WCC planners are preparing a new report to present to Council. This will be discussed by a Council sub-committee on 5 August 2010.

Teena Pennington, Director - Strategy, Planning & Urban Design at Wellington City Council, offered to meet with the TRA to provide her insights and answer your questions first hand. This is consistent with WCC's public commitment to being guided and informed by what the community wants.

This is an important opportunity to re-engage if you have an interest in this matter; particularly everyone who participated in the TRA online survey on heritage (March 2010), or provided other feedback.

To accept this invitation please RSVP to thorndonresidents@gmail.com

Tuesday 29th June 2010.

7PM - 8:30PM ( network from 6.30PM )

at the Thorndon Tennis and Squash Club, 4 Katherine Avenue