The Local - Mt VictoriaResource consent has been granted to demolish ‘Westbourne’, the large house at the end of Westbourne Grove, off Austin Street, on the condition that the development that replaces it must fit with the character of the surrounding area.
The Westbourne estate was sold in August last year for a reported $2.6 million, despite having an RV of $4.35 million.
Its real estate agent highlighted the large 1472 square metre elevated site, surrounded by well-established trees, planted more than 50 years ago.
According to the council, the property was identified in the Thomas Ward survey of 1881, making it one of Mt Victoria’s oldest houses. However, it is believed to have been in a poor state of repair.
As part of the resource consent to demolish the house, the owners must register a covenant that requires the replacement building or buildings to include at least four dwellings, be less than 11 metres high, and fit with the character of the surrounding streetscape.
The covenant is designed to mitigate the fact that, the owner did not provide plans for the replacement dwelling to the council for consideration when applying to demolish the house, which is subject to the pre-1930s demolition rule.
In granting the consent, the planning officer stated: “This covenant will ensure that any future development on the site is designed in a manner that they make an as good, or better, contribution to townscape character as the subject dwelling that is demolished.”
At least four units are specified in the covenant to prevent the owner avoiding the need to obtain a resource consent by building three or less.
Developer Mark Quin from Quin Urban, who now owns the section, said his company had no plans for the site yet.
Asked about height limits, Quin said the company would abide by the covenant, but he was also aware that “the rules may be changing” in terms of the District Plan and what it allowed.
He said his company had a record of building top quality, high end housing complexes, pointing to the Huia Estate development in Hataitai, as an example of this.
This development comprises 13 townhouses in a traditional design. Quin it was regarded in the industry as a benchmark for medium density development.
“We don’t do rubbish, we only do quality.”
