Benefits overstated, artists say

The benefits of a national music school based in the centre of Christchurch have been overstated, say three prominent Canterbury artists.

Composer John Ritchie, pianist Maurice Till and theatre director Elric Hooper spoke on behalf of Save Our Arts Centre (Soac) at a resource consent hearing for the proposed school yesterday.

All three have links to the University of Canterbury.

Ritchie was a staff member between 1946 and 1985, including 24 years as professor of music.

Till taught music-performance courses there for many years, while Hooper has been an adjunct professor at the university's music school since 2004.

Ritchie yesterday said basing Canterbury University's performance-based music courses at the Arts Centre while other courses remained at the Ilam campus made no sense.

Ritchie disputed claims the project would help revitalise the inner city.

"I am concerned that the students' presence in the central city will be inaccurately held out as making a substantial contribution to the revitalisation of our central city."

Till also doubted it would bring new life to that part of Christchurch.

"I also hope this irrational idea of playing to the casual tourist who happens to saunter down Worcester St is quickly forgotten."

Tourists came to New Zealand for the beauty of lakes and mountains. If they wanted music, they went to Europe, he said.

Hooper said the music school would be the fourth auditorium of similar capacity within a 100-metre radius.

Christchurch already had venues struggling for business and did not need more competition.

Meanwhile, a landscape architect said it would be "a real tragedy" if Christchurch did not take a stand against the proposal.

Dr Jacky Bowring feared Christchurch was "falling into the same trap" as other cities that allowed insensitive and inappropriate developments.

The Christchurch Arts Centre site was "brimming with potential" as a pocket park which would fit in with future city planning.

Bowring attacked the proposed building's form, scale and materials, saying its ability to harmonise with existing buildings would be seriously compromised.

The building would "obliterate" an important historic open space and severely compromise the landscape, create inhospitable pedestrian areas and have "a striking disregard" for city plan requirements.

Alternatives had not been considered, including "honouring" the site's heritage as open space.

Another architect, David Pearson, agreed the open space made a major contribution to the Arts Centre.

Pearson said the music school would be the largest building at the site, dominating the others and detracting from heritage values.

"It is my belief that the proposed building ... will profoundly affect the way the Arts Centre is perceived and will fundamentally and forever change its character."

Soac spokeswoman Dame Ann Hercus will make her submission today.

- © Fairfax NZ News