PAVEMENT DEALS AT HERITAGE HOME

in The Mercury, February 2 2012 at 07:25am 

By Colleen Dardagan

[ Original article link here ]

UPDATE ON THIS STORY: LETTER TO EDITOR FROM KZNIA HERITAGE COMMITTEE

This appeared in the Mercury following the precious article.

Dear Editor,
The listed building at 121 Essenwood road is one of many caught in the dilemma of changing environments and economic turmoil. The quiet residential ambience of Essenwood road has long been lost and this has impacted severely on the few remaining old houses. Notwithstanding this, Ethekwini Municipality and Amafa have long fought to retain individual buildings and groups of buildings on the Berea to remind us of an era that is in danger of disappearing altogether. There clearly needs to be some compromise and trading is allowed in these sensitve areas when the correct approvals process is followed. If these processes are ignored, as is alleged in the case of 121, both environmental and economic value is lost and the downward cylce escalates. Property owners should be aware of the law pertaining to our heritage and the reason for it's existance. "A city without a heritage is like a man without a memory". See www.heritagekzn.co.za for details on the processes required to be followed for restoration, alterations and additions to any building over 60 years old.

Lindsay Napier
KZN Institute for Architecture
Heritage Chair