Gloucester Heights

Press, 27 June 1989, Page 20

Gloucester Heights

Sir,—As a visitor to Christchurch may I say that the most compelling feature of your city is the sense of history and style conveyed by the architecture of the older business buildings and homes of your inner city. Therefore I was saddened to see you are following blindly those in other countries who did not have the foresight to preserve such precincts in our haste to modernise. The result elsewhere has been gutted cities with no heart and no human appeal — only vast faceless edifices overpowering the few too-late attempts to keep the beauty and workmanship of the past. I refer to your proposed Gloucester Towers. City Fathers — be aware of what makes your city lovely to others — and to those who live in these fine old quarters. Do not encourage such aberations. They will cause the old precincts to wither away in their shadow.— Yours, etc., FRANCIS WEBB, Stow,

Massachusetts. June 16, 1989.

Sir, —George Lucking is right — the proposed Gloucester Heights could be built lower and more in keeping with the neighbourhood by increasing site coverage. I suspect, however, that as soon as the first tower block is built and sold we shall see one or two more on the remaining land. The almighty dollar always seems to take precedence over harmonious integration of new developments into existing areas. It is ironic to

see the City Council supporting the preservation of the Nurses’ Chapel on its present site, a move I applaud, while encouraging inappropriate development in areas of special character. Fortunately, there appears to be growing public concern about present planning policies and the coming local body elections will provide an excellent opportunity for citizens to ensure that they elect councillors who will work towards preserving our unique inner city neighbourhoods without stifling appropriate new development. — Yours, etc., ANN LEWIS. June 22, 1989.