This week’s headlines hint at a positive “discussion”… but obviously, no changes to the Dunedin City District Plan can be about one building owner. In the meantime, are the ‘co-owners’ of the McIndoe buildings following established best practice in recognising the historic heritage values for their buildings? Are they proposing appropriate uses? Will they draw business away from the city centre? Are they flouting the zoning rules? Who is measuring this? Why should they pay less than others in consent fees? Why is their company a prospect for rates relief? And why is the Council trying to get some runs on the board for “Heritage” before the local body elections? We’re not told.
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### DScene 31-3-10
Harbourside and heritage (front page)
It seems time is going to be called on Dunedin’s large scale retail zone – a part of town advocates believe would be the perfect location for the revamp proposed in Dunedin City Council’s controversial Harbourside redevelopment proposal. See p3. #bookmark
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Editorial: Time for candidates to speak up (page 2)
It’s put up or shut up time. DScene – and quite a few others besides – have been wondering how many of the current crop of city councillors will be standing again in October, and who will challenge the incumbents.
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Council may drop plan (page 3)
By Wilma McCorkindale
Dunedin City Council seems likely to drop its large-scale retail zone – an initiative which has struggled to revive the area of the city between the wharves and the central city. Advocates are now hoping council can be persuaded to move its controversial proposed rezoning of the harbourside back a few blocks, to redevelop the large-scale retail zone. […] New Zealand Historic Places Trust Otago Southland area manager Owen Graham emphasised the importance of heritage to Dunedin. It had the potential to contribute just as much economically to the city as the building of new developments.
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Building owner’s protest may pay off (page 3)
By Wilma McCorkindale
Last week’s protest by heritage building co-owner Lawrie Forbes may have paid off. Forbes featured in last week’s issue of DScene protesting the restrictions of the large scale retail block where the McIndoe buildings are located – and a potential $37,000 bill for consents and related costs. Forbes was confident after an eleventh hour meeting with Dunedin City Council planners late last week he would obtain a resource consent for existing use, to allow the urban renewal of one of the former John McIndoe buildings on Crawford St.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
What if? Dunedin... 