Gus and Barbara Johnston have applied to the Central Otago District Council for resource consent to demolish a dwelling within the heritage precinct and build a new home, sleepout and garage on the Matau St site.
Eight submissions have been received, five opposing consent and three neutral. The council's hearings panel will consider the application today.
Council planning consultant David Whitney has recommended consent be granted, subject to several conditions, including the stone walls on two boundaries of the site, stone sheds and mature walnut trees on the property being retained.
The oldest parts of the house date back to 1895 and it has been modified several times. The building is not listed in the council's register of heritage buildings.
The applicants have received an Archeological Authority from the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Senior Archaeologist Rick McGovern-Wilson said the trust was pleased to note the stone walls and sheds would be retained.
"These structures are essential historic elements of the property and are part of Clyde's cultural landscape," he said.
In granting authority the trust noted " ... this authority does not constitute support or approval for loss of a heritage building by the NZHPT".
"This archaeological authority represents a legal process which is required when an archeological site is to be damaged, modified or destroyed."
In an assessment of the property, architect Jackie Gillies, of Queenstown, said the house was built in the last years of the 19th century, after the gold rush of the 1860s had subsided. It had some valuable architectural features remaining but had been considerably modified, obscuring many of those values.
"Regrettably, the conclusion of this report is that demolition of the cottage may be the only option open for the owners. The building has not been maintained adequately for some time and has been unoccupied for several years. As a result, the condition of the building and its remaining heritage features would make its retention very expensive and would involve a considerable amount of re-creation or reconstruction.
"It is unfortunate that the cottage has been allowed to deteriorate to such a degree over the past years and that as a result its refurbishment has become unrealistic."
The owner of a nearby historic building, Laurence van der Eb, was one of the submitters who asked for it to be retained.
" ... I believe the cottage should not be consigned to history when it could very easily be saved and incorporated into a further development, if necessary, " he said.
"Part of the year I live in Spain in a historic precinct where I own a historic shop.
"There is no way somebody could apply to have a historic building [there] demolished because it has not been properly maintained.
"Clyde is referred to by many as Central Otago's premier gold fields township for its original buildings. If yet another historic building is allowed to be demolished, the danger is that this will no longer be the case."
