Where's the vision? | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

Plans to knock down two Birkenhead shops for a viewing platform have stunned locals
who say there's very little to see. Sophie Bond takes a look.

To the right, the three-storey wall of the bank building blocks any glimpse of the city. Before us, Le Roys Bush Reserve spreads into the valley and, to the left, nondescript apartments dominate the skyline. Standing in the open space below Birkenhead Ave, local woman Elizabeth Daniels shakes her head and puts her hands on her hips.

"Have you ever seen such an ugly, ugly view - and when you look at all the possible views there are in Highbury?"

Mrs Daniels is frustrated with a North Shore City Council proposal to remove buildings it owns at 35-41 Birkenhead Ave to create a viewing platform, offering this less-than-dazzling vista. The suggestion is part of the Highbury Town Centre Improvements project, which is now open to public consultation.

Mrs Daniels says putting a viewing platform on this particular spot is pointless. "Aesthetically, it's a bad site to have it. There is no panoramic view here, you'd do better to walk down to the library and take in the lovely city view."

Another incredulous local says the offer of a view and the wording of the consultation document are deceitful. "You're given three options, but not one of them lets you say that we don't really need it. I'm totally in favour of the beautification of Highbury, but this money needs to go into other things," she says.

The proposed options, presented in a questionnaire, include removing existing buildings to leave an open space with cafes on one or both sides, and a suggestion of a covered conservatory.

According to the document, all options "take advantage of the bush views".

The deputy chair of Birkenhead-Northcote Community Board, Lindsay Waugh, says the 2006 Highbury Centre Plan listed a viewing platform on Birkenhead Ave as category three, or low priority. "Now here we are about to get a viewing platform while there are a whole lot of category one projects that have never been touched. It's a joke. [Board chair] Jennifer Yorke and I signed off the consultation document on the basis of the Highbury Centre upgrade and we were told that the viewing platform had to be part of the consultation to save money. But it wasn't something that we wanted," she says.

Standing outside 35-41 Birkenhead Ave, it's impossible to see through to the proposed view so Mrs Waugh asked the council to put up a photo of what is offered. "People assume they are getting a city vista but, clearly, they're not."

North Shore City Council's group manager for city environment, Trevor Mackie, says the proposal is at a concept stage and nothing is definite. "The viewing area ... is one of a number of projects that were included in the annual plan and approved by the Auckland Transition Agency."

He says $1.5 million was set aside for the Highbury improvements but could not say how much of that would be used for the viewing area.

About town

As well as the lookout, the questionnaire lists options for making Rawene Rd more attractive to pedestrians, remodelling the intersection of Birkenhead Ave, Hinemoa St and Mokoia Rd and adding seats and plants to the area.

You have until 5pm tomorrow to fill out the questionnaire. See North Shore City Council's website and search for "Highbury main streets: improving Highbury's shopping area".