Protecting our unique heritage
How we can protect our heritage
Protecting our heritage places and our special character buildings and streetscapes is a priority for the city.
Equally, Māori heritage sites which frame or underlie the city centre's built form need to be managed as a priority.
High quality new and redevelopment can enable investment in and re-use of heritage and special character buildings and places, which represents a sustainable approach to maintaining and enhancing the urban environment.
To do this, we will:
- understand the history of our city centre
- identify and protect our most significant buildings, places and landscapes that tell our stories
- care for and invest in our heritage to form a strong basis for Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland to grow and thrive.
Unitary Plan
Management of our historic heritage places, special character buildings and streetscapes is achieved through the Auckland Unitary Plan.
This seeks to manage change to these places and areas so that they maintain their significance and continue to inspire and define our city.
Protected places in our city centre
We continue to identify and protect heritage in our city centre. Since CCMP 2012, we have identified and formally protected:
- 66 additional historic heritage places
- one historic heritage area – Karangahape Road
- four additional sites of significance to mana whenua, with three further sites currently proposed.
Historic heritage areas in the city centre
Two historic heritage areas have been identified and protected, centred around the commercial area of Karangahape Road and the University of Auckland at Princes Street.
Historic heritage places in the city centre
There are 215 protected historic heritage places in the city centre. They are over 10 per cent of our scheduled places across the region.
Fifteen sites of significance to mana whenua are protected, as well as 41 notable trees or groups of trees and three view shafts relating to heritage values.
Buildings and streetscapes of the city centre are also identified and protected through the Unitary Plan. These significant areas include our commercial heart at Waihorotiu / Queen Street Valley, as well as surround historic laneways, such as Fort Street, High Street, Lorne Street and Drake Street.
City centre fringe
The city centre fringe is the surrounding historic villages and suburbs.
The Unitary Plan identifies and manages the heritage and character of Freemans Bay, St Mary's Bay, Devonport, Ponsonby and Parnell.
Related information
More information about heritage defined city centre
