Submission on An Application for Resource Consent

Submission on An Application for Resource Consent

Under Section 96 of the Resource Management Act 1991

To: Waitaki District Council

Private Bag 50058

Oamaru

Name: Save Our Heritage

Save Our Heritage is a group of ninety three people who have contributed individually and collectively to the identification and retention of Oamaru's unique whitestone heritage over a number of years. Save Our Heritage believes that it is vital that the Middle School be retained as part of whitestone Oamaru.

Address for Service: Mr Bill Blair

c/- Post Office

Kakanui

Tel. 439 5781

(a) Save Our Heritage opposes the application.

(b) Applicant's Name: Waitaki District Council

(c) Type of Resource Consent: Discretionary Activity [Land Use]

(d) State Proposal: To demolish the Middle School

The particular parts of the application that Save Our Heritage supports or opposes are:

The application in its entirety.

Save Our Heritage’s Reasons for Making This Submission are:

The Middle School is a very significant historic building in the context of Oamaru, which is recognised as containing one of the foremost, intact heritage resources in New Zealand. This resource is associated with the town itself, i.e. "Whitestone Oamaru" and the town has promoted itself in accordance with this concept.

Architecturally, the Middle School is one of the few, single storied, classically designed buildings remaining in Oamaru. It is the submission of Save Our Heritage that the Middle School is both locally and nationally important, for architectural, educational and historic reasons, and should not be demolished.

In addition the building is considered to be structurally sound and in unusually original condition, which are both facts which support its retention.

The Middle School is listed as a significant heritage building on the NZ Historic Places Trust Register and on the Schedule of both the Transitional and Proposed District Plans.

Save Our Heritage believes that applying for demolition of listed buildings such as the Middle School makes a mockery of the NZ Historic Places Trust registration process and also of the District Plan Schedules, and undermine the integrity of Oamaru's national image as a heritage town. We question the point of having such classifications if they cannot even provide recognition and protection of the heritage values of the classified buildings.

It is our submission that the Council is failing in its duty under the Resource Management Act 1991 to:

promote the sustainable management or natural and physical resources, including heritage resources

to sustain the potential of natural and physical resources, which includes heritage resources, to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations

to avoid, remedy or mitigate adverse effects on the environment, which includes heritage resources,

to have particular regard to the recognition and protection of the heritage values of sites, buildings, places and areas; and

to its own role and responsibility as a heritage protection agency under the Resource Management Act 1991.

in applying to demolish the Middle School.

Save Our Heritage considers that the Council, as a heritage protection agency in its own right, should set an example to the community by protecting and maintaining the historic buildings that it owns and actively promoting their adaptive re-use, in accordance with the objectives and policies of the proposed District Plan. The Council has failed in this duty with respect to the Middle School.

In particular, Save Our Heritage believes that new and/or adaptive re-uses of the Middle School have never been actively promoted or encouraged by the Council. There have been many approaches to the Council by individuals, groups and businesses over some years to investigate the availability of the building for a range of uses and we will document these proposals at the resource consent hearing.

None of these proposals have ever been accepted by the Council. Nor has the Council itself ever promoted or appeared to seek viable community or commercial use of the building, consistent with reasonable expectations of its responsibilities both as a territorial local authority and as a property owner and manager.

f) The Middle School is also an integral part of the Victorian townscape of Oamaru as well as being a significant heritage building in its own right. The demolition of the school will have an adverse effect on the heritage, amenity and townscape values of Oamaru and on the important recreational and tourism benefits associated with it. This would be detrimental to the main economic development strategy in Oamaru.

Save Our Heritage believes that the Waitaki District Council must lead by example in promoting these matters in the community.

g) Save Our Heritage rejects the suggestion , contained within the application, that the re-use of the building materials from the Middle School and the establishment of a memorial on the site, could possibly be regarded as adequate mitigation for the adverse effect of demolishing the building. We believe that the suggestion is insulting, in view of the heritage values of the building, which are recognised nationally on the NZ Historic Places Trust Register, and also impractical. Re-use of demolition stone in Oamaru is unlikely in restoration projects and re-use of the joinery would not be realistic. The re-use of materials suggestion is arrant tokenism that would have no validity in terms of recognising and protecting the heritage values of the Middle School and of Oamaru.

h) The application for demolition of the Middle School should only have been publicly notified when the application for resource consent for the hospital was also available for advertisement. Save Our Heritage is concerned that the decision to demolish the Middle School is being made prior to:

information on the environmental effects of the proposed hospital and health centre being available to the public;

lack of certain funding for the proposed hospital and health care project and uncertainty as to the size and type of facility required;

when both these matters might well preclude the perceived need for demolition of the Middle School.

i) Save Our Heritage considers that the Middle School site is not suitable for the proposed hospital and health care centre by virtue of the fact that a Category 2 Historic Place is located upon it. It considers that the applicant, through its agent, the hospital consultants, has jeopardised the chances of the hospital building project succeeding because of the difficulty of getting consents for this site and the time frame that is likely to be involved.

j) Finally, Save Our Heritage considers that:demolition of the Middle School will be contrary to:

the purpose and principles, and other relevant provisions, of the Resource Management Act 1991, and in particular with the provisions of Section 7 of that Act; and

the relevant provisions and policies of the Proposed Regional Policy Statement for Otago; and

the relevant provisions of the Transitional and Proposed District Plans.

the relevant provisions of the Council's Mission Statement, Strategic Plan and Asset Management Plan

6. Save Our Heritage wishes the consent authority to make the following decision:

Save Our Heritage wishes the application to be declined in its entirety.

7. Save Our Heritage does wish to be heard in support of its submission.

Signature: _______________________

Date: _______________________

Address for Service:

c/- Bill Blair,

Save Our Heritage,

C\-Post Office

Kakanui

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