Christchurch council spends $2.55m buying 'historically important' Akaroa property
Tuesday, 8 December 2020
Christchurch ratepayers have paid $2.55 million for a culturally significant Akaroa home – more than twice its rateable value.
The Red House, which has a rating valuation of $1.2m, is surrounded by the Takapūneke Reserve, an area of huge importance to Ngāi Tahu and classed as wāhi tapu (a sacred place) by Heritage New Zealand.
The privately-owned home and its surrounding 2864-square-metre garden was due to go to auction on Thursday, but the Christchurch City Council decided in a publicly excluded meeting last week to put in an offer. The auction has since been cancelled.
In a release announcing the purchase on Tuesday, mayor Lianne Dalziel said securing ownership of the land ensured the site was protected from any inappropriate future development.
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“The land on which the Red House sits has immense cultural, spiritual and historic significance, particularly for the Ōnuku Rūnanga.”
Dalziel said the council’s plan was to incorporate the property into the Takapūneke Reserve and, in partnership with Ōnuku Rūnanga, use it to help tell the story of the land and the role it played in shaping our shared history.
“We are working towards having Takapūneke Reserve recognised as a national reserve, which would acknowledge that it is equally significant as the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.’’
Ōnuku Rūnanga chairman Rik Tainui said it was hard to describe how much the council’s purchase of the land meant to the rūnanga.
“It is the land – not the house – that is important to us.
“The fact the council has recognised the significance of this land to our rūnanga and has taken steps to acquire it is a hugely positive step forward in our relationship – it’s a momentous occasion.”
Akaroa Civic Trust deputy chairwoman Victoria Andrews said the trust was hugely relieved and incredibly grateful the council had stepped in to buy the property on behalf of the people of Canterbury, Ōnuku Rūnanga and all of New Zealand.
“It’s historically important on a national scale.”
It has not been disclosed which way the councillors voted last week, but Cr Sam MacDonald said he did not support the council purchasing the property given the amount of money being spent.
He said it was a lot of money in what were financially challenging times for ratepayers. He did not believe ratepayers should pick up the bill for such purchases.
The council had the chance to buy the house 18 months ago but pulled out because councillors did not approve the agreement.
Takapūneke was once part of a major Ngāi Tahu flax trading village of chief Tē Maiharanui, who traded with whaling vessels from Europe, America and Sydney in the mid-1820s.
In 1830, Tē Maiharanui boarded a British ship in the harbour and was captured and later killed by Te Rauparaha, who went ashore at Takapūneke and massacred the unsuspecting Ngāi Tahu inhabitants.
The massacre has a direct link to the claim of British sovereignty over New Zealand.
European William Green and his family established the South Island’s first cattle station on the land in 1839.
Several offensive developments have been built at Takapūneke Reserve over the years, despite objections from Ōnuku Rūnanga and Ngāi Tahu.
A sewage treatment plant was constructed in 1964, a move later described by a historian as the “ultimate in modern cultural oppression”.
In 1979, a now disused rubbish dump was established in the reserve, and in 1998-99 the Banks Peninsula District Council planned to subdivide land behind the Red House into 61 residential sections, a move considered abhorrent by Ōnuku Rūnanga.
The subdivision plan was eventually ditched and the area was deemed a reserve in 2006.
The council is also planning to move the sewage treatment plant.
Existing owners Ken and Fiona Paulin said they were pleased the property had been purchased by the council.