Lonsdale House is one of the most distinctive art deco/streamline buildings in Australia

With submissions due by 25th March it is looking increasingly likely that one of Melbourne and Australia’s most significant art deco streamline moderne buildings, Lonsdale House, may be given approval for demolition to widen (what is left of) Caledonian Lane from 4m to 8 m.

In advancing the development proposal we’ve raised earlier on Melbourne Heritage Watch, Colonial First State has requested permission from the minister for planning to remove the heritage overlay which would allow complete demolition of one of Victoria’s most significant heritage buildings without any public consultation.  Despite appeals by the National Trust and the Art Deco Society, Heritage Victoria (no suprises there) has sternly refused to protect this signficant building and the Lonsdale Street and Caledonian Lane streetscapes for future generations.  Yet the interesting Jetsons style tower which is central to the design is the only one of it’s kind left in the entire country.

So it is a critical point for Lonsdale House.  The Victorian state government has proven in recent times to be ruthlessly pro-development and anti-heritage and desperate to cut red tape and give projects the green light in these harsh times.

IF you want to save this building  (and the character of our famous lanes) you must act quickly as like the rest of the Myer and David Jones blocks it may well be a case of here today gone tomorrow …..

The address to write to is:

Metropolitan Planning Services
Department of Planning and Community Development
Level 9
8 Nicholson Street
East Melbourne 3002

Email: kate.kraft@dpcp.vic.gov.au.
And/or the Minister for Planning directly – justin.madden@parliament.vic.gov.au
and CC the Melbourne City Council at planning@melbourne.vic.gov.au

For the slactivists there is an online petition “Don’t demolish Lonsdale House” and a Facebook group “Save Lonsdale House”, however your calls will simply not be heard – if you want to save this building, you must object to this development in writing.

Colonial proposal including widened lane and giant advertising television proposed to replace Lonsdale House

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