Remuera Heritage is looking at a visit to the new Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre at Hampton Downs, 60 kms south of Auckland. The Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre was formally opened on the 30th August 2017. The centre has on display trophies, picture, memorabilia that celebrate the life of Bruce McLaren and heritage of New Zealand motorsport. 

The heritage centre is run by the Bruce McLaren Trust, formerly of 586-592 Remuera Road where Bruce and sister Jan grew up in the Upland Motors garage, before moving to Upland Road, Remuera. The overall purpose of the Bruce McLaren Trust is to be a living working memorial to Bruce McLaren and the McLaren Team heritage. 

Bruce McLaren was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1937 and was killed tragically whilst testing one of his cars at Goodwood circuit, England in June 1970. He was a world class international motor racing driver, engineer and designer whose name is still used in Formula 1 motor racing today - a remarkable achievement. With fellow New Zealanders, Denny Hulme and Chris Amon, Bruce took on the might of the international motor racing world and triumphed with enormous success. 

A proposed date is Saturday 3rd November 2018 in the afternoon, with lunch in the Hampton Downs’ café beforehand. We would look at coordinating transport for this event. Please rsvp to contact events@remueraheritage.org.nz and mention if you require transport. 

Check out the new website for the Bruce McLaren Trust - https://bruce-mclaren.com/bruce-mclaren-heritage-centre/

60+ people heard Rob Allen Professor of Social History at AUT speak at the Remuera Library on Friday 12th October 2018 on the Arts and Crafts Movement which originated in England with William Morris, architects Philip Webb, Edwin Lutyens, Charles Voysey and Baillie Scott. There were many Remuera houses, including and especially Coolangatta, which were influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement in their design in the early 20th century, with architects Gerald Jones, Roy Binney, and Noel Bamford. Remuera houses covered were the Wrigley House (Ladies Mile), Spicer House (Baytree Cottage, Mainston Road), Hanna House (Arney Road), Fairley / Awatea (Bassett Road) and the Hellaby House which was at 519 Remuera Rd and at Karaka, Franklin since 2003.  

Ann Calhoun’s book Arts & Crafts Design: "like yet not like" nature: sources for a New Zealand story by Ann Calhoun – Digital Book (PDF), 350 pages, 42mb, can be downloaded here for free – http://www.artsandcraftsnz.co.nz/

Left: Hanna House, Arney Rd. Right: Spicer House/Baytree Cottage, Mainston Rd.

AUCKLAND HERITAGE FESTIVAL 29 September – 14 October 2018 

The festival theme this year is Nga Iwi o Tamaki Makaurau – celebrating the heritage of our people and how diverse cultures from all corners of the world have contributed to Auckland’s heritage. 

Remuera Heritage will host two events this year.  

Rob Allen, Professor of Social History, AUT, talks about the Arts and Crafts Movement which originated in England with William Morris. There were many Remuera houses, including Coolangatta, which were influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement in their design in the early 20th century. 

WHERE: Remuera Library, 429 Remuera Rd 

WHEN: Friday 12 October, 7pm

The Win With Words writing competition final was held at Remuera Library on 29 August 2018. Year 7 and 8 students from 11 local Remuera schools submitted hundreds of entries. The creative writing programme and prizes are sponsored by Westpac, Remuera Business Association, Orakei Local Board and Remuera Heritage. Rosemary Tisdall, children’s literature specialist, donated her time as the overall judge of our stories again this year. 

During Term 2, the Orakei Local Board sponsor a three hour writing workshop, taken by a children’s author, for a number of students from each local school. This year the workshop was taken by well-known children’s author, Stacy Gregg, who also attended the prize giving and was delighted to read out excerpts of stories written by students who had attended her workshop.  

This year’s heritage winners were Finn Houghton, Remuera Intermediate, year seven – with Saved By A Cookie and Charlotte Holt – Lady Grey, Remuera Intermediate, year eight. Congratulations to the winners.

Photos courtesy of Remuera Library. Charlotte is 5th from the right; Finn 6th from left of second photo.

On Friday 5th October, as part of the Auckland Heritage Festival, 65+ people heard Ruth Lam, co-author of the Fruits of our Labours, give a fascinating talk about the Chinese fruiterers in Remuera, with much input from the Chinese community in Remuera whose families had been in business as fruiterers.. 

Remuera has been home to more than a dozen Chinese fruiterers since the 1920s, with Jack Lum & Co continuing the tradition of selling high quality fruit and vegetables. The first Chinese fruiterer in Remuera was Wong Kee & Co in 1924 in the Coles Building. Other familiar names who had businesses in Remuera were the Chinn family, Willie & Allan Tam, Fong Kee, She Cheong, the Wong family – parents Francis and Alice with children Joana, Margaret, David and Susan, the James and Ida Wong family, and Yee Hop owned by Chan Yuen Ling. Ron Wong, son of James and Ida, spoke about how as a teenager he made his own fireworks with help from Bruce Culpan, chemist. Joana Wong spoke about the Christmas 'rush' where she had to drive to the railway station with the Christmas orders to go on the train to wherever Remuera families were holidaying.

The book was meticulously researched and written over 4 years by Ruth Lam, Beverley Lowe, Helen Wong, Michael Wong and Carolyn King. It contains many family histories and stories plus detailed research from libraries, archives and museums throughout New Zealand. 

Fruits of our Labours was commissioned and published by the New Zealand Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust in 2018. Copies of the two volume book can be ordered for $80 from fruitsofourlabours@gmail.com.

Photos courtesy of Remuera Library.

AUCKLAND HERITAGE FESTIVAL 29 September – 14 October 2018 

The festival theme this year is Nga Iwi o Tamaki Makaurau – celebrating the heritage of our people and how diverse cultures from all corners of the world have contributed to Auckland’s heritage. Remuera Heritage will host two events this year.  

Remuera has been home to more than a dozen Chinese Fruiterers since the 1920s. Jack Lum & Co Ltd continues the tradition of providing high quality fruit and vegetables in Remuera. The 2018 publication of "Fruits of our Labours: Chinese Fruit Shops in New Zealand" includes the contributions of these Remuera fruiterers, families and their descendants. 

WHERE: Remuera Library, 429 Remuera Rd 

WHEN: Friday 5 October, 7pm

Recent research by Auckland Council has revealed Aucklanders are prepared to pay more for a house close to a scheduled heritage place and within a special character area. 

To ensure the investigation exclusively analysed the impact of heritage and special character, the researchers from the Heritage and Research & Investigation Units accounted for over 300 other non-heritage factors including types of house, zoning, distance to other amenities, the suburb, neighbourhood and the month or year of sale. 

Breaking down the statistics, people are willing to pay approximately 5.3 per cent more to live in a Special Character Area (SCA) – a price premium of $50,000 more than Auckland’s average house price. The research also disproved the common perception that people are willing to pay less for a heritage house because of restrictions that may be imposed on additions and alterations of the building. 

Although the data revealed there was no price premium for individual heritage houses, there was also no relationship indicating a lower market value for heritage houses – demonstrating that scheduling does not lower the market value of a house in Auckland. 

Further research and statistics on the economic and social benefits of heritage will be released during the Auckland Heritage Festival in October this year.

http://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/articles/news/2018/7/how-much-will-aucklanders-pay-to-live-close-to-a-heritage-area/

Remuera Heritage has completed the first stage of the oral history project. Mary Donald, archivist and oral historian, interviewed John Stacpoole, Angela Caughey, Beverley Newton, Hal Lawry and Joan Thompson about their memories of Remuera. Their stories are an important part of the social history of Remuera and we are very grateful to them for their contribution.

EVENTS 

AUCKLAND HERITAGE FESTIVAL 29 September – 14 October 2018 

The festival theme this year is Nga Iwi o Tamaki Makaurau – celebrating the heritage of our people and how diverse cultures from all corners of the world have contributed to Auckland’s heritage. Remuera Heritage will host two events this year. 

Remuera has been home to more than a dozen Chinese Fruiterers since the 1920s. Jack Lum & Co Ltd continues the tradition of providing high quality fruit and vegetables in Remuera. The 2018 publication of "Fruits of our Labours: Chinese Fruit Shops in New Zealand" includes the contributions of these Remuera fruiterers, families and their descendants. 

Remuera Library, 429 Remuera Rd 

Friday 5 October, 7pm 

Rob Allen, Professor of Social History, AUT, talks about the Arts and Crafts Movement which originated in England with William Morris. There were many Remuera houses, including Coolangatta, which were influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement in their design in the early 20th century. 

Remuera Library, 429 Remuera Rd 

Friday 12 October, 7pm 

VISIT TO BRUCE MCLAREN HERITAGE CENTRE, HAMPTON DOWNS 

Remuera Heritage is looking at a visit to the new Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre at Hampton Downs, 60 kms south of Auckland. A proposed date is Saturday 3rd November 2018 in the afternoon. We would look at coordinating transport for this event. 

Check out the new website for the Bruce McLaren Trust - https://bruce-mclaren.com/bruce-mclaren-heritage-centre/ 

ORAL HISTORY PROJECT 

Remuera Heritage has completed the first stage of the oral history project. Mary Donald, archivist and oral historian, interviewed John Stacpoole, Angela Caughey, Beverley Newton, Hal Lawry and Joan Thompson about their memories of Remuera. Their stories are an important part of the social history of Remuera and we are very grateful to them for their contribution. 

How much will Aucklanders pay to live close to a heritage area? 

Recent research by Auckland Council has revealed Aucklanders are prepared to pay more for a house close to a scheduled heritage place and within a special character area. 

To ensure the investigation exclusively analysed the impact of heritage and special character, the researchers from the Heritage and Research & Investigation Units accounted for over 300 other non-heritage factors including types of house, zoning, distance to other amenities, the suburb, neighbourhood and the month or year of sale. 

Breaking down the statistics, people are willing to pay approximately 5.3 per cent more to live in a Special Character Area (SCA) – a price premium of $50,000 more than Auckland’s average house price. The research also disproved the common perception that people are willing to pay less for a heritage house because of restrictions that may be imposed on additions and alterations of the building. 

Although the data revealed there was no price premium for individual heritage houses, there was also no relationship indicating a lower market value for heritage houses – demonstrating that scheduling does not lower the market value of a house in Auckland. 

Further research and statistics on the economic and social benefits of heritage will be released during the Auckland Heritage Festival in October this year. http://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/articles/news/2018/7/how-much-will-aucklanders-pay-to-live-close-to-a-heritage-area/ 

Visit RemueraHeritage.org.nz for more information about Remuera Heritage and the heritage and history of Remuera, including places, people, and events. See our Facebook page also https://www.facebook.com/remueraheritage/ Email us at info@remueraheritage.org.nz

Graeme Burgess and Lilli Knight of Burgess, Treep & Knight Architects, will talk on the houses of Remuera and their architectural history. Read more here.  

WHEN: Friday 20th July 2018 at 6.30pm 

WHERE: Remuera Library

Members free; $10 for non-members

Light refreshment available

Remuera Heritage is submitting on Auckland Council's draft Ten Year Plan and also the Auckland Plan and we encourage all members to make their own submissions on both plans. Submissions are due by 8pm on 28 March. Get a copy of the paper Have Your say form from the Remuera library or go online to akhaveyoursay.co.nz 

10 Year Plan Budget / Long Term Plan 

 There is nothing included for Remuera in the 10 year plan or budget. 

1. Community facilities:  

a. Remuera needs a community centre to service its diverse community needs with a focus on the town centre and the library. There are only 2 community facilities in Remuera – the Remuera Library and 4 Victoria Avenue which houses the CAB and Plunket. There are no rooms available for hire at the current facility at 4 Victoria Avenue, the future of which is very uncertain. 

b. Remuera is a substantial size district with a diverse population of 28,000. It has a large long-established town centre. There is a need to service a large area with a growing diverse community, focused on the town centre 

c. Proceeds from any sale of Victoria Avenue should be reinvested in the Remuera community – in a Remuera community centre in the Remuera town centre. 

2. Village Green and buildings: It is unclear what is happening to the Village Green area at the back of the shops. The brick buildings were the original Remuera Roads Board office and works depot, and then Remuera’s first fire station. We would like to know about the redevelopment, intensification, any loss of heritage buildings and green space (the Village Green) – the Remuera community needs to be kept informed.

3. Ohinerau/Mt Hobson: Remuera Heritage supports the Tūpuna Maunga Authority’s proposed management plan and operational plan for Ohinerau Mt Hobson, focusing on upgraded paths and signage, pest control and regular vegetation management and maintenance. Also important for Remuera Heritage is the preservation of the memorials to the Remuera service men and women who served in WW2 – this includes the daffodils on the northern slope. 

4. Cultural Heritage: The 10 year plan budget also needs to include increased budget for key Auckland cultural heritage institutions – Auckland Museum, the Auckland Art Gallery, MOTAT and the Sir George Grey Special Collections at Auckland Libraries. They all have urgent need for improved infrastructure to meet visitor needs and protection of collections over the next 10 to 20 years. 

In particular, all Auckland Councillors must support Mayor Phil Goff's proposal of the 1 February 2018 to increase the Auckland Art Gallery's funding by $20m over the next ten years as part of the LTP. We request this amount is targeted for the Auckland Art Gallery when the annual Auckland Council distribution is made to Regional Facilities Auckland. 

Auckland Plan 2020-2050 

Remuera Heritage is submitting on the draft Auckland Plan and we encourage all members to make their own submission. Submissions are due by 8pm on 28 March. 

Our main concern is that the draft plan does not have a chapter on historic heritage or arts and culture, including cultural heritage. The previous Auckland Plan’s chapter 4 consists of 14 pages about the importance of the city’s historic heritage and the need to protect it. 

Page 8 of this chapter states: “On behalf of the community, the Auckland Council will continue to develop initiatives to ensure innovation, good practice and improved heritage outcomes.” It is important to submit that the chapter on historic heritage be put back into the plan. You can also ask that Focus Area 4 be amended to “Protect Auckland’s significant environments, cultural and historic heritage from further loss” and that Outcome 5 be amended to “Environment, Cultural and Historic Heritage.” 

Also ask for a reinstatement of the previous plan’s definition in the glossary of cultural heritage as: “The legacy of tangible heritage resources and intangible attributes that are inherited from past generations. Heritage includes historic heritage, taonga tuku iho (heirlooms), and other forms of heritage such as books, works of art, artefacts, beliefs, traditions, language and knowledge”.

Community Meeting on 22 March: “Have Your Say” 

Remuera Residents Association Community Meeting: “Have Your Say” 

 When: 7.00pm, Thursday 22 March 

 Where: Remuera Library  

The meeting will traverse the issues raised by the content of Auckland Council’s proposed 10 year Budget and the draft Auckland Plan 2050. All residents will have received the feedback form (within the March Our Auckland monthly magazine) which needs to completed by 28 March. There are many issues that are of concern and worthy of discussion. 

Ask questions of your Local Board member, hear the opinions of fellow residents, and form your own views based on this interaction. The real issues will be highlighted for you to consider, including the future of 4 Victoria Avenue and why there is little mention of historic heritage in the Auckland Plan– the evening should greatly assist your expression of feedback to the Council at this important consultation opportunity. 

We suggest you bring the feedback form with you – if you have not already submitted it. Have your say. For further information call – 524 2602

You can read the Remuera Heritage submission here.

Remuera Eastern Bays Citizens Advice Bureau: Public Information Evening 

Public Information Evening: Trees, Fences, and Boundaries 

When: 6.30pm, Tuesday 20 March 

Where: Remuera Library 

 ALL WELCOME.

TEN YEAR PLAN BUDGET– Remuera issues

The Mayor has a goal that Auckland is a great place to live. “While our focus must necessarily be on creating the infrastructure needed for transport accessibility and housing and a clean environment, we will not overlook other things that make this region a desirable place to live. Within the constraints of our resources, we need to promote the innovation, diversity, inclusiveness, cultural and recreational facilities that make Auckland a great place.” 

1. Community facilities: Remuera is a substantial district and town centre with a large population of approx. 28,000 in 2018, (57% European, 38% Asian, 2% Maori, 2% Pacific). Many of the shops in the town centre go back 100 years but the town centre is changing and needs a community centre and heart. 45% of Remuera South people were born overseas, compared with 39.1 percent for Auckland as a whole. Remuera needs a community centre to service its diverse community needs with a focus on the town centre and the library. Often the Remuera library staff are asked if they have space for hire. When a public meeting is held in the Remuera library, the staff have to return at 8 or 9pm at night to lock up. Community groups in Remuera are forced to go outside the area to meet as halls in churches and schools in Remuera are busy during the days and often lack access and security at night.  

There is a lack of transparency around the future of 4 Victoria Avenue, which houses the CAB and Plunket. The CAB may be moving to St Luke’s Church near Newmarket. There is speculation that the council will sell 4 Victoria Avenue and put the money into the rebuild of the Meadowbank Community Centre. Unlike Meadowbank which has 2 community facilities for hire – the Meadowbank Community Centre and Tahapa Crescent Hall, Remuera has only 2 community facilities, the Remuera Library and 4 Victoria Avenue. which have no rooms available for hire.

The council may seek to develop the Meadowbank Community Centre from the sale of 4 Victoria Avenue, but there will be a loss and a cost to the Remuera ratepayer. If the council sells 4 Victoria Avenue, the proceeds should be reinvested in the Remuera community in the form of a Remuera community centre near the library. Remuera Heritage is looking for a space to own or rent and to be able to display its resources – we would support a local community centre. We ask that any funds from a sale of 4 Victoria Avenue be targeted for the benefit of the Remuera community – in Remuera. 

The Orakei Local Board has also looked at the redevelopment of the Glendowie Community Centre – this is only 2 kms from the St Heliers Community Centre. The Meadowbank Community Centre is 2.9 kms from 4 Victoria Avenue – Remuera is large enough to deserve its own community centre.  Panmure will also benefit from a multi-million investment from the sale of $100million+ worth of council property in Panmure.(East & Bays Courier, March 6 2018)

NB: The population figures given in the Meadowbank, Remuera, Orakei Community Needs Assessment (Mobius, 20 July 2017) are not geographically exact and grossly underrepresent the population of Remuera. The segments used of Remuera West and Remuera South from the 2013 Census do not even share a common boundary. If all Remuera segments are used (Remuera West, Remuera South, Waiata, Waitaramoa, Mt Hobson, Orakei South, Abbotts Park), Remuera’s population is 2.1 times the population of Meadowbank South and Meadowbank North. If St John’s and Stonefields are included in the Meadowbank calculation, then Remuera’s population is approx. 1.5 times the population of Meadowbank. Either way, Remuera has by far the bigger population than Meadowbank. (See attached table). 

2. Council carpark: It is also unclear what is happening to the council carpark on Clonbern Rd. Rumours abound of redevelopment, intensification, loss of heritage buildings, loss of green space (the Village Green) – the Remuera community needs to be kept informed. 

3. Ohinerau/Mt Hobson: Remuera Heritage supports the Tupuna Maunga Authority’s proposed management plan and operational plan for Ohinerau Mt Hobson, focusing on upgraded paths and signage, pest control and regular vegetation management and maintenance. Also important for Remuera Heritage is the preservation of the memorials to the Remuera service men and women who served in WW2 – this includes the daffodils on the northern slope. 

4. Cultural Heritage: The 10 year plan budget also needs to include increased budget for key Auckland cultural heritage institutions – Auckland Museum, the Auckland Art Gallery, MOTAT and the Sir George Grey Special Collections at Auckland Libraries. They all have urgent need for improved infrastructure to meet visitor needs and protection of collections over the next 10 to 20 years. In particular, all Auckland Councillors must support Mayor Phil Goff's proposal of the 1 February 2018 to increase the Auckland Art Gallery's funding by $20m over the next ten years as part of the LTP. We request this amount is targeted for the Auckland Art Gallery when the annual Auckland Council distribution is made to Regional Facilities Auckland. 

AUCKLAND PLAN 2020 – 2050 

1. The Draft Auckland Plan only talks about environmental and cultural heritage as types of heritage, and a definition of cultural heritage includes no recognition of built heritage at all. Cultural heritage appears to be a subset of the environment and is confined to archaeological landscapes – it is not mentioned in the glossary. Rather cultural heritage should be the over-arching category, not a sub-category. The 2012 Auckland Plan included this definition of Heritage in the glossary: a. “The legacy of tangible heritage resources and intangible attributes that are inherited from past generations. Heritage includes historic heritage, taonga tuku iho (heirlooms), and other forms of heritage such as books, works of art, artefacts, beliefs, traditions, language and knowledge”.  

2. The first Auckland Plan released in 2012 had an entire chapter 4 outlining the importance and value of historic heritage, with strategic direction statements, key priorities and targets to “protect and conserve Auckland’s historic heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations”. This 2012 text should be incorporated into Outcome 5: Protecting and Enhancing our Environment, in the Auckland Plan 2050. Text in this outcome must include a definite statement about the importance and value of historic heritage, and specifically that it is included in Focus Area 4, to read “Protect Auckland’s significant environments, and cultural and historic heritage from further loss”. 

3. The first Auckland Plan also had an entire Chapter 3 on Arts and Culture which is now missing. There should be a section in the new draft plan outcome Environment and Cultural Heritage on cultural heritage, which includes the regionally and nationally significant cultural institutions such as the Auckland Museum, MOTAT, Auckland Art Gallery, and Sir George Grey Special Collections, amongst others. The draft plan mentions only “Local and Auckland-wide” community facilities. To omit and exclude the regionally and nationally important cultural heritage organisations in Auckland is a huge oversight.

Population Projections 2013-2043 for Remuera and Meadowbank. Source Stats NZ Census 2013.

The Remuera Residents Association has reported that the Orakei Local Board is proposing that the Remuera CAB move out of 4 Victoria Avenue to the St Luke's Community Centre at 130 Remuera Road. 

 http://remueraresidents.org.nz/latest-news/remuera-citizens-advice-bureau-at-risk/ -

"The Ōrākei Local Board is considering moving the 4 Victoria Avenue CAB to St Lukes Community Centre. Concern has been expressed that no consultation has been undertaken with our local CAB or community, that work has already been undertaken on the site, and that long term decisions on the future of the service have already been made.The CAB is an important community resource and we are very disturbed at the lack of transparency about the future of our CAB and the 4 Victoria Avenue site. We want clarity and honesty around this matter from our local board."  

Remuera has only two community facilities - the Remuera Library and 4 Victoria Avenue which houses the CAB and Plunket. Is the Orakei Local Board and Auckland Council selling our community facility?
There will be a public meeting on 22nd March 2018 at the Remuera Library to discuss this and what is happening at 4 Victoria Avenue. 

The RRA now has a Facebook page – get the latest news etc here:

https://www.facebook.com/remueraresidentsassociation/

The eastern suburbs have seen significant removal of the single house zone to be replaced with the increased density of the Mixed House Suburban or Urban zones. This will lead to the development of individual properties being intensified to 3 stories, alongside single houses, destroying the collective value and amenity of the area which the community has strived to protect for future enjoyment. Urban amenity has to be collective – individual owners cannot do both high density and still expect to retain the existing character and amenity. 

The Independent Hearing Panel wrote “there was an insufficient basis to restrict the demolition of buildings based solely on their age. The argument that the unitary plan should, on an alleged precautionary basis, manage the demolition of buildings in areas that may have ‘unidentified significant historic heritage places or unidentified ‘special’ character areas’ was not supported by evidence of the likelihood that such values would be identified, or that the rate of demolition required such a restriction”. 

During the Unitary Plan process, Auckland Council said it was not resourced to carry out character area surveys to identify significant historic heritage places or unidentified ‘special’ character areas’ but would cooperate with community groups to do this. Remuera Heritage offered its help to the Heritage Dept. and through Councillor Cameron Brewer but we never heard back. Council staff had countered to the IHP that a plan change to add or extend character areas should be ready for notification in early 2017. RH gave evidence of the removal of character buildings from Remuera South, parts of Remuera north and Newmarket to no avail. 

As a result, The Panel has kept most of the currently notified special character overlay over Auckland, with one notable exception – it has been almost erased throughout all the eastern bays, including Remuera, Orakei, Kohimarama, Mission Bay and St Heliers. The pre-1944 demolition control overlay has been removed in its entirety and there is now no protection for any identified or non-identified character buildings in Auckland. The pre-1944 overlay was only an interim measure to allow for the identification of character housing, so now demolition is a permitted activity. 

AT RISK: The Remuera Library which is a listed and protected heritage building has now been zoned as being part of the town business centre and buildings either side have been upzoned to THAB (Terrace Houses and Apartment Buildings). This includes Cotter House, another listed heritage building (the 5th oldest house in Auckland) and the Hearing Association house at the top of St Vincent Avenue. This zoning change does not help the protection of these historic heritage places. It is impossible to understand why there is such a lack of consistency here in having Category A status for a brick public building such as a library and a historic heritage house when the underlying zoning anticipates high density. Houses such as Cotter House are now at significant risk of demolition and redevelopment. 

Gains in Remuera have been the inclusion of the Extent of Place around the Chapel of the Holy Child (formerly the stables) at Kings School to include The Towers, the 1855 Graham/ McCosh Clark house. The Remuera Railway Station has been upgraded from Category B to A: “Given its integrity, it’s now rarity, having an integral and original relationship with its signal box, and being the best of Auckland‘s historic suburban stations, it warrants elevation from a B to A in its heritage categorisation. Accordingly, the Panel supports the scheduling of the ‘Remuera Railway Station and Signal Box’ as Category A and adopts the extent of place and description proposed by Heritage New Zealand.” 

The volcanic viewshafts fared better than heritage. Most (though not all) proposed viewshafts have been retained; a few have been deleted, and there is a new category of locally significant viewshafts. One of the differences between regional and local is that if a proposed building would penetrate a regional viewshaft it is a non-complying activity, whereas for a local viewshaft it is a Restricted Discretionary activity. The Panel has provided the Council with maps which represent its recommendations. 

To view what these recommendations may mean for Remuera and your own property, click here and here.

Remuera Heritage is looking at a visit to the new Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre at Hampton Downs, 60 kms south of Auckland. The Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre was formally opened on the 30th August 2017. The centre has on display trophies, picture, memorabilia that celebrate the life of Bruce McLaren and heritage of New Zealand motorsport. 

The heritage centre is run by the Bruce McLaren Trust, formerly of 586-592 Remuera Road where Bruce and sister Jan grew up in the Upland Motors garage, before moving to Upland Road, Remuera. The overall purpose of the Bruce McLaren Trust is to be a living working memorial to Bruce McLaren and the McLaren Team heritage. 

Bruce McLaren was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1937 and was killed tragically whilst testing one of his cars at Goodwood circuit, England in June 1970. He was a world class international motor racing driver, engineer and designer whose name is still used in Formula 1 motor racing today - a remarkable achievement. With fellow New Zealanders, Denny Hulme and Chris Amon, Bruce took on the might of the international motor racing world and triumphed with enormous success. 

A proposed date is Saturday 3rd November 2018 in the afternoon, with lunch in the Hampton Downs’ café beforehand. We would look at coordinating transport for this event. Please rsvp to contact events@remueraheritage.org.nz and mention if you require transport. 

Check out the new website for the Bruce McLaren Trust - https://bruce-mclaren.com/bruce-mclaren-heritage-centre/

AUCKLAND HERITAGE FESTIVAL 29 September – 14 October 2018 

The festival theme this year is Nga Iwi o Tamaki Makaurau – celebrating the heritage of our people and how diverse cultures from all corners of the world have contributed to Auckland’s heritage. 

Remuera Heritage will host two events this year.  

Rob Allen, Professor of Social History, AUT, talks about the Arts and Crafts Movement which originated in England with William Morris. There were many Remuera houses, including Coolangatta, which were influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement in their design in the early 20th century. 

WHERE: Remuera Library, 429 Remuera Rd 

WHEN: Friday 12 October, 7pm

AUCKLAND HERITAGE FESTIVAL 29 September – 14 October 2018 

The festival theme this year is Nga Iwi o Tamaki Makaurau – celebrating the heritage of our people and how diverse cultures from all corners of the world have contributed to Auckland’s heritage. Remuera Heritage will host two events this year.  

Remuera has been home to more than a dozen Chinese Fruiterers since the 1920s. Jack Lum & Co Ltd continues the tradition of providing high quality fruit and vegetables in Remuera. The 2018 publication of "Fruits of our Labours: Chinese Fruit Shops in New Zealand" includes the contributions of these Remuera fruiterers, families and their descendants. 

WHERE: Remuera Library, 429 Remuera Rd 

WHEN: Friday 5 October, 7pm