The urgency of urban intensification in Auckland is indisputable, but we must do the least damage to the city's history as possible, writes Pat Baskett
Comment: Urban intensification is key to reducing emissions and ensuring our survival at this time of climate insecurity. Globally, the compact areas of cities are responsible for fewer emissions than the suburbs. I therefore support many of the changes to Auckland’s Unitary Plan mandated by central Government.
However, since our goal can only be to survive this existential crisis, we need to plan for the long term and not entirely obliterate the city’s history. Which, it seems to me will be the result in some of the city’s key older areas. Moreover, intensification at the cost of open space and green recreational areas will serve short-term needs only and lead in the long term to over-crowding and increased social inequality.
Apartment blocks of “at least six stories” in the ten metropolitan centres will make workplaces, shopping, schools, buses and trains accessible within a walking distance of no more than 15 minutes - thus creating the much-lauded '15-minute city'.
Developers will no longer be required to provide parking spaces because cars won’t be necessary on a daily basis. But given Auckland Transport’s current woes, transport services to recreational destinations outside the city are likely to be a long time coming. In the meantime, cars will become a luxury for those who can afford them and can pay for parking privileges. How, other than by driving, can people get to Orewa beach or to the Waitakeres to tramp?
Auckland Council’s 'Preliminary response to the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) and the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS)' includes six bullet points. The various walking times to the 10 identified urban centres or transport hubs, from 15 to three minutes, are linked to the height allowed in these areas - from at least six stories down up to five or sometimes only three. Getting to work or school appear the only considerations. Where these apartment-dwellers take their children to play, where they walk on summer evenings don’t figure.
Mention in the NPS-UD of any recreation, parks or playing fields is elusive. The nearest I found comes under the heading “Working together to deliver change” where local government is described as playing “a pivotal role in ensuring that places are functional, healthy and liveable for people.”
Last year’s announcement of amendments to the Resource Management Act was a call to arms for some community groups concerned that the liveability of their environment risks being severely compromised. Buildings of “at least six stories” indiscriminately permitted in areas such as St Mary's Bay-Ponsonby are inappropriate. The streets are narrow, public open spaces are limited. Tall buildings will provide sea views for the few and block the sunlight of many.
But there are other reasons to limit intensification here. St Mary's Bay is one of Auckland’s founding suburbs. Its villas soften the view of surrounding modern glass and steel buildings. They keep us in touch with the city’s history.
Here are some still visible highlights of St Mary's Bay’s history.
The Catholic church has been a fixture since 1853 when Bishop Pompallier bought 45 acres overlooking Freemans Bay from an Irish settler, James O’Neill. Pompallier called the area Mount St Mary's. O’Neill’s house still stands, the oldest in Ponsonby and one of the oldest houses in Auckland. It was moved from its original site to 57 St Mary's Road in 1891.
The Catholic enclave filled an essential role in its early days when schools were few and homeless children roamed the streets. In 1859 a new road was made to cut off the six hectares which Pompallier made over to the Sisters of Mercy for a much needed orphanage and school. This is the origin of the imaginatively named New Street.
The orphanage quickly became overcrowded and in the next decade, 10 of the nuns worked themselves to death.
Pompallier responded to the need and in 1863 a new convent was opened. At that time it was one of the largest buildings in the town - capacious enough for 60 nuns. Built of kauri in a gothic style it was a landmark in New Street until it was demolished in 1977.
The working class character of Ponsonby is evident in the grid of little streets running between College Hill and Franklin Road. At St Mary's the population was more heterogeneous, thanks to the monied Irish families who were attracted by the sea views and the Catholic church.
Edward Mahoney, the architect who designed St Mary's Chapel and other early notable buildings, lived at numbers 1-7 Harbour Street and had stables further along.
Catherine and Patrick Darby lived at 42 New Street. They ran the Thistle Hotel, one of the town’s earliest hotels, in the CBD’s Darby Street.
They provided the Sisters of Mercy with flour and rice when the nuns ran out of money and the Darbys rescued the nuns’ piano from the bailiff when they were in debt.
Late 19th Century colonial architecture has a proportion and elegance, alongside the charm of the filigree trimming above its balconies. Mature cities make room where appropriate for intensification and avoid the planning disasters that lead to overcrowding and inadequate infrastructure.
The history and architecture of St Mary's Bay are surely “qualifying matters” which need to be taken into account when decisions are made about where intensification is appropriate in the area. The urgency is indisputable but let’s do the least damage.
A city that erases its history loses its soul.
Comments to Auckland Council closed Monday night. Decisions will be announced in August, when a submissions process will begin.
* Disclaimer: Pat Baskett owns an apartment in St Mary's Bay.
