Gun Emplacements

TE ATATU ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERY UPDATE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Te Atatu Anti-Aircraft Battery forms part of a network of heritage sites throughout Harbourview/Orangihina Park.

 

Harbourview/Orangihina Park has sweeping views over AucklandCity and it has a long history, first of Maori occupation, and then as the site of brickworks, farming activities and then as a coastal fortification during World War II. 

 

This report provides an update on the costs and options for preserving and highlighting the heritage of Te Atatu Anti-Aircraft Battery. A report will also go to the Finance and Operational Committee.

 

BACKGROUND

1. Te Atatu Anti Aircraft Battery was constructed in 1943 to a New Zealand Public Works Department design modification of a British War Office standard gun emplacement. The battery is one of a group of similar structures deployed throughout the Auckland Isthmus. The battery was constructed to protect the western airfields, in particular the Hobsonville Airbase, from aerial attack. It was active for only a year but is now the only one of its type remaining.

 

2. Due to its association with the defence of Auckland during WWII, Te Atatu Anti Aircraft Battery is identified as a Category I heritage item under the District Plan.
Category I buildings and structures are the most significant and therefore special care and attention needs to be taken with maintenance programmes and any modifications to the structures. Harbourview/Orangihina Park has many heritage features with little or no explanation of what they are or their significance.
The previous report recommends that this should be addressed.
However, the implementation of the remaining site interpretation will need to follow in successive financial years.

 

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The Finance and Operational Committee at its meeting held on Monday, 6 October 2008 resolved the following:

 

“ The Finance and Operational Performance Committee resolved to:

1. Receive the Oranigihina (HarbourviewPark) Heritage report.

2. Agree that Council officers seek expressions of interest from lighting, fencing and interpretive signage contractors for heritage design concepts for the gun emplacements, brick villa, Auckland Brick and Tile site, Maori middens and McCormick’s cottage on the Harbourview/Orangihina Park.

3. Agree that $80,000 of the Harbourview/Orangihina Park Special Fund be set aside for heritage fencing and interpretation, subject to design concepts being provided to and approved by the Finance and Operational Committee.”

4. The Harbourview/Orangihina Park Special Rate was struck in 2004 for the purpose of establishing, developing and maintaining for public purposes certain land in Te Atatu Peninsula. Legal Services have confirmed that the proposed heritage interpretation works fall within the definition of works envisaged when the special rate was established. The proposed heritage interpretation works will complement the proposed upgrading of the Park and can be accommodated within the overall budget for development of the site.

 

DECISION MAKING

 

Site Interpretation of the Anti-Aircraft Battery

 

5. The Anti-Aircraft Battery is part of a broader heritage landscape that covers the Auckland Brick and Tile Company site, the brick villa, McCormicks cottage, and pre-European middens.

6. The Finance and Operational Committee approved $80,000 funding towards site interpretation for Harbourview/Orangihina Park. However, recent cost estimates obtained for re-fencing, lighting and signage for the gun emplacements indicates that the $80,000 will only be sufficient for part of the overall project. It is considered that it is better to consolidate and complete site interpretation thoroughly in each part of the reserve, before tackling new areas.

7. In light of the limited budget it is proposed that the project proceeds in the following way:

 • The improvements to other heritage sites in the Harbourview/Orangihina Park area are to be implemented once the gun emplacement project is complete i.e. it is preferable to finish one area first before moving on to other sites;

• Completion of replacement fencing;

• Design and construction of gun emplacement interpretation is to be implemented concurrently with design and consents for lighting;

• Review of budget; and

• Implementation of lighting and signage as budget allows.

8. There is are a total of 311 metre length of fencing required to fence off all five gun emplacements with low maintenance, powder coated fencing. The costs for this vary with an upper limit of approximately $50,000 for powder coated fencing. It is likely that the tender process will deliver cost savings on this estimate, although it is a sizeable part of the overall cost. The existing fencing has been the subject of complaints by local residents who are of the view that the rural-style fencing is not appropriate match with the style of modern houses in the area. The fencing also does not provide ease of access for contractors required to remove graffiti or access the structures. The option of lighting the heritage structures would provide added passive surveillance of the site by residential properties in the evenings as well as highlighting in a modest manner, the heritage features. This would be an aid to site interpretation.

9. The installation of lighting will require a resource consent as it will involve an addition or alteration to a Category I heritage structure.

10. The highest project priority is the replacement of farm style fencing with black powder coated 1.2 metre high standard fence as parks assets prefer to use the same standard style of fencing across all parks managed by Council. This enables greater cost efficiency when sending out maintenance teams.

11. A lighting designer has been commissioned to look at three options for lighting the gun emplacements at Te Atatu. Option 1 is recommended as it provides for the greatest energy efficiency and best lighting result with greatest flexibility. Option 1 would involve placing two small colour changing LED floodlights within each of the ‘rooms’ at high level, aimed down and out from the room. This would enable the lights to be concealed from view from ground level above. The two lights will allow some sense of drama with shadowing from shell racks, door frames etc. The system would be set up with tow conditions – a warm white colour that would be displayed normally with a solid red colour to be displayed on ceremonial days such as ANZAC Day. This would allow escalation to a special effect on significant occasions. The red colour will tend to evoke a sense of danger consistent with the original purpose of the space.

12. Option 2 would provide for using a single colour LED with no colour changing. This would not provide any flexibility to allow for different effects at different times. Option 3 involved a series of weatherproof linear fluorescent lights located on the soffit within each of the rooms in such a way that they would not be visible from ground level but the effect of the light would be seen emanating from each room. Although this option may initially be low-cost it would involve having to manually change a coloured polycarbonated sleeve to give the colour change required for significant effects and would not be energy efficient in the long term.

13. Overall, it is considered that Option 1 provides the best value for money in the long term and the greatest flexibility.

14. The primary beneficiaries of further site interpretation, improved fencing options and lighting are the local residents, businesses and visitors to the area that wish to appreciate the heritage of Harbourview/Orangihina Park. Although further site interpretation is planned for the former McCormicks’ Cottage site, Auckland Brickworks and other features, this will need to occur in successive years with further funding from the Harbourview Special Fund.

15. Council has consulted with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in preparing its concepts to date and will also meet with two individuals in the community who have extensive knowledge of the gun emplacements and lived in Te Atatu during the 1940s.

16. The preferred option involves replacing the existing fence with a new powder-coated standard parks fence. However, that is likely to use half of the budget. It is therefore recommended that Council consolidate its efforts at the gun emplacements to complete as much of the site interpretation through lighting and signage as possible with the $80,000 allocated in the budget. This will enable other heritage features at Harbourview to be integrated into an overall visitor experience as future budget allows.

17. The work at Harbourview/Orangihina Park involves the Vibrant Arts and Culture strategic platform:

“WaitakereCity’s arts and culture is reflected and appreciated in our everyday life and the City is itself a work of art. We participate in creative pursuits and have a deep and wide perception of arts and cultures in our City.”

18. Development of heritage interpretation material will be achieved in consultation with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, the lead central government agency involved in heritage protection.

19. The Council’s heritage advisor has consulted with the Manager: Parks Planning and Parks Assets staff in preparing this report. The Manager Parks Planning supports further on-site interpretation of heritage features at the Harbourview/Orangihina Park as it is one of the most visited Citywide parks. Project services are managing the physical works associated with this project.

20. The resources required to deliver signage, fencing and lighting on the ground will need to be met from the Harbourview/Orangihina Park OPEX budget. The entire budget approved by the Finance and Operational Performance Committee is $80,000. The following preliminary budget has been prepared but is subject to change depending on the tenders received:

Item	Description		Approximate Cost
Lighting	Lighting options report		$1400
Fencing	Black powder coated		$40,000- $50,000
Signage	Graphic design Build and installation		$400 $1,200
Lighting	Option one installation		$48,300
Total		$106,816

21. The costs above are subject to change depending on the outcome of the tender process. There is some additional heritage budget available in this financial year for contingencies above $80,000.

22. The lighting design and preparation of resource consent application are underway.

Report prepared by: Alina Wimmer, Principal Advisor: Heritage and Tim Sherring, Senior Engineer, Special Projects.

(Source:www.waitakere.govt.nz)