Appeal for the Free Ambulance Building

13 December 2001

This appeal has been pending for two years now. In 1999, a resource consent authorising the relocation of the Free Ambulance Building was granted by the Council's Environment Commissioners, after a full hearing.

Waterfront Watch then appealed against that decision to the Environment Court. LHML felt that it ought to defend that appeal, and has done so. Last month, the City Council passed a resolution approving that course.

It did, however, become increasingly clear to us during the hearing before the Environment Court that it intended to allow the appeal. And the Court put the parties under real pressure to effect a settlement.

The only settlement that was available, in those circumstances, was for LHML to withdraw the existing resource consent it held, so far as the Free Ambulance Building is concerned. All members of the LHML Board reluctantly came to the conclusion that this was the most realistic step to take. And so the appeal has been resolved on that basis.

For my part, I deeply regret this outcome. The relocation of the Free Ambulance Building was a sound solution for a fine but marginalised building. It would have liberated that building - and better preserved its heritage values. It would have added greatly to the quality of the restored area of which it would have become the centrepiece. It would have been of significant benefit to the Odlins building. It would have made a better solution possible for the currently awkward parking area known as Site Q.

David Gascoigne
Chairman
LAMBTON HARBOUR MANAGEMENT LIMITED