The Auckland Council says it is locked into a sale and purchase agreement made by the former Auckland City Council to purchase Liston Village from and the Catholic Diocese of Auckland.
The deal involves progressively buying the Liston Village from the Catholic Church as units are vacated, expanding Monte Cecilia Park and rebuilding the Monte Cecilia school.
The agreement was made months before the amalgamation of the Auckland territorial bodies in 2010.
Liston Village is a 25-unit retirement village that the Catholic church built in 1982.
Nine houses that have so far become vacant and have been filled by renters.
Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse, whose mother lived in the village, said she would like to “retain some housing on that beautiful site” but was mindful of sale-and-purchase agreements entered into by the previous council.
Jean Stansfield, 75, who has lived in Liston Village for 10 years, said residents were worried about the future even though it could be decades until the death of the youngest person with a licence to occupy, who is still in her 60s.
“There are some elderly, they can’t stop worrying,” she said.
“The lady next to me came in a panic, which is understandable because she has nobody to find her another place if they kick her out.
“We can’t see any sense in destroying 25 places for the elderly when there is such a shortage of homes.”
The Puketapapa Local Board says the five-year old plan for the Hillsborough complex makes no sense.
Roskill Community Voice member of the Board Michael Wood hopes to persuade the Council to reconsider its decision.
“This plan made limited sense in 2010, and even less in 2015 during a housing crisis,” said Wood.
“In the middle of a housing crisis, how can it be that Auckland Council is planning to demolish a thriving social housing community for Senior Citizens?”, he asks.
A campaign has been launched to try to stop the Auckland Council from demolishing Liston Village.
A broad community coalition is coming together to support the campaign, and a petition will be launched at a public meeting on 11 October.
Speakers at the meeting will be:
- MP for Mt Roskill Phil Goff
- Albert-Eden-Roskill Governing Body member Cathy Casey
- Auckland isthmus Grey Power President Anne-Marie Coury
- Puketapapa Local Board member Michael Wood
All are welcome to attend the public meeting which will be held at 2pm on Sunday 11 October at the Fickling Centre, Three Kings.
“Working together we can stand up for our Seniors, and convince Auckland Council to save Liston Village”, says Wood
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