Six Shopping Centres get Heritage Status

Six of Wellington's older suburban shopping areas have been added to the District Plan heritage list.

Wellington City Council last month voted to formally ratify District Plan Change 75 - which adds the following shopping areas to the heritage list:

• Aro Street shops
• Berhampore (Rintoul Street)
• Hataitai Village
• Adelaide-Riddiford street corner (Newtown)
• Newtown shops in Riddiford Street
• Thorndon Village in Tinakori Road.

The Council's Built Environment Portfolio Leader, Councillor Iona Pannett, says the heritage listings mean the buildings are recognised and protected for their heritage value and any major changes to the outside of listed buildings, or demolition of them, would require resource consent.

Cr Pannett says the six proposed heritage areas contribute greatly to Wellington's identity and serve as a link to our past. Council officers and heritage specialists assessed a number of potential heritage areas, before selecting these six on the basis of their significance and coherence. They will join Island Bay shops and several central business district and residential heritage areas listed in recent years.

"These Victorian and Edwardian precincts are an essential part of Wellington's fabric. The inclusion of the buildings in the District Plan is part of an effort by the Council to ensure they continue to be part of our collective history," says Cr Pannett.

Plan Change 75 was notified in May 2010. Submissions were heard in December 2010, and the Council's decision was notified in March this year. No appeals were received on the decision.

"A heritage area in the District Plan has little effect on the day-to-day function of businesses within the area. The main effects will be where owners propose alterations or modifications to the exterior of their building or if they wish to demolish them."

Cr Pannett says the Council can help owners of heritage buildings in a number of ways when they want to develop their properties. "We can provide free conservation advice and technical assistance in order to ensure that development is in keeping with the heritage values of a building. Applications can be made for heritage resource fees to be reimbursed and in some cases, if certain criteria are met, building owners may also be eligible for financial assistance through the Council's Heritage Incentive Fund."