Another advocate questions the methods that may clear the way for the demolition of one of the city’s historic churches.
The Dunedin City Council announced this week it had given 129 heritage buildings greater protection from demolition or modification without consent under changes to the district plan.
A further 17 properties initially proposed for protection have been removed from the list.
The latter include the Highgate Presbyterian Church, Kaikorai Presbyterian Church, former Holy Cross College in Mosgiel and the former Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church.
Southern Heritage Trust advocacy spokeswoman Jo Galer, who is also running for city council this year, said the decision left Dunedin churches vulnerable to demolition or replacement with multi-unit development.
"There’s no doubt that Dunedin needs housing and that the right development is required, but not at the expense of our character, which it seems to be is what’s occurring.
"We’re sleepwalking towards a disastrous impact on the city."
What was needed were changes to planning rules and legislation, including financial incentives, that would encourage owners to reuse heritage buildings, she said.
At hearings on the proposed changes to the heritage protection list in May, church representatives urged commissioners Rob van Voorthuysen (chairman), Cr Sophie Barker and Cr Jim O’Malley not to protect the church buildings.
Dunedin heritage developer and structural engineer Stephen MacKnight yesterday said the churches had "significant" heritage and streetscape value.
"It seems to me the hearings sort of put a lot of weight on what the church wanted.
"There’s no reason why they can’t sell these churches and somebody else can’t redevelop them — as is done successfully all around the world all the time."
At the hearing, Highgate Presbyterian Church parish representative John Milnes told the panel the proposed listing of the church would remove the "autonomy" of the parish, which would have to manage the resulting financial impact.
The building was "a very real seismic threat" and "previous seismic reports have indicated that the building has critical structural weakness".
The site was still fit for purpose, even if the building was not.
"Applying a heritage listing to the building would effectively preclude its demolition or easy future development," Dr Milnes said.
Mr MacKnight said he disagreed.
In 2019, he was part of a public campaign opposing the proposed demolition of the hall.
Yesterday, he maintained the plan to demolish the church was based on "only ... an initial seismic report".
"We got a full report done based on the original construction drawings and found the building to be 80% of new building standard."
Anything less than 34% is considered earthquake-prone.
"But the hearing just recently brought up the fact that [the parish] still, without, as far as we know, any further reports, claim[s] it to be earthquake-prone and on the basis of that the congregation didn’t want it saved because it was going to cost too much."
Mr MacKnight said he was "disturbed" the panel had made its decision based on such evidence.
"The protection is because there’s value in these [buildings] beyond the short-term needs of the current owner."
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga southern director Christine Whybrew said the organisation accepted the hearing panel’s decision and was satisfied submitters’ views were considered.
Owner of the former Andersons Bay Presbyterian Church Campbell Paton declined to comment yesterday and representatives of the Highgate Presbyterian Church, Kaikorai Presbyterian Church and the former Holy Cross College could not be contacted for comment.
Ms Galer said the Southern Heritage Trust was considering whether it would appeal any of the decisions of the panel.
There is a 30-day appeal period.
