City development

Press, 25 January 1988, Page 20

City development

Sir,—l agree with W. A. Sutton (January 22) that it is important not to legislate against new ideas. Unfortunately most of the development at present taking place in our city is completely lacking in any originality or intrinsic aesthetic value. The majority of buildings going up look as though they are being assembled from prefabricated kit sets. It will soon be appropriate to rename our city “Legoville.” — Yours, etc., ROBIN PAWSEY. January 22, 1988.

Sir, —The efforts of the City Council and city planner to ensure that certain parts of the central city area are developed with thoughtful care and respect for the city deserve support. Fine modern buildings such as the West Plaza building in Auckland or the post-modern Telecom building in Christchurch can be truly distinguished and appreciated, but those persons who advocate keeping the best of the old buildings should not have their, views misrepresented. Mistakes have been made. The

A.M.P. building shades Cathedral Square in winter and obscures the Cathedral from the-west. The Parkroyal Hotel might be welcoming from Victoria Square. It is a formidable barricade from the north — just the place where water cannons could be mounted to repel advancing protesters who see some development as out of scale with existing key features (e.g., the Avon River) of the city. — Yours, etc.,

J. R. ALLISON. January 22, 1988.