Heritage New Zealand Otago Southland area manager Jonathan Howard, of Dunedin, said only one submission was received in opposition to the proposal, which was based on the 127-page report, written by Heather Bauchop. It recommended much of the town’s central business district be preserved.
Eight submissions were received in support of the proposal and two submissions ‘‘neither opposed nor supported the review report but raised issues or questions’’.
‘‘Out of courtesy to the submitters and because the board has yet to consider the submissions (and any further information from our meetings with submitters) and the proposal, we do not want to go into any further detail at this time,’’ Mr Howard said by email.
The review report and recommendation came after the Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust last year asked for a review of the Harbour-Tyne St Historic Area.
The trust sought a modest expansion to Oamaru’s historic area, as well as including a small part of the main street in The New Zealand Heritage List. Instead, 119 places in Oamaru’s town centre were identified as historically significant and an area covering all of Lower Thames St, and some of side streets, was proposed.
