Posts Tagged ‘city of stonnington’

While recent state government planning powers are denying local councils control over heritage it is good to see some councils take the opportunity to commission updated heritage studies in a bid to protect their places of cultural significance.

Several of Melbourne’s local government areas have recently announced or completed heritage studies, so I though it was worth doing a quick report card for the decade of the 2000s.

These heritage studies are imperative in ensuring that the heritage overlays of local councils are up-to-date.  They offer the only real protection to buildings aside from the legal protection offered by the Victorian Heritage Register.  As factors regarding heritage do change, Melbourne rapidly grows and resources are invariably limited, local government heritage studies should be conducted at least once a decade in my opinion.

City of Melbourne

Along overdue and much needed major study has been announced.  The last major study was done in the early 1980s.  In recent years the National Trust has openly pleaded with the council to update its records.  Nonetheless, the lack of a study has seen the loss of several buildings of local significance in recent years, vindicating the Trust’s push and highlighting the urgent need for councils to update them.  Not suprisingly backlash from laneway developments including the demolition of the Eastern Arcade and Lonsdale House has led to a key the focus being on preserving Melbourne’s laneways.  However commencement has not been announced and implementation of any findings may be years away.

Moreland City Council

On Melbourne’s northern fringe, Moreland is currently inviting the public to nominate buildings as part of its “North of Bell Street” study which closes 31 October 2009.

Banyule City Council

In March, Banyule a municipality in Melbourne’s northern suburbs around Heidelberg announced a major review of its 1998 heritage study.  The council has set up a page on its website for the Banyule Heritage Review Project.

City of Stonnington

Stonnington in Melbourne’s inner south east Recently released its Heritage Precinct  Gap Study which began in 2006.

Hobsons Bay City Council

Hobson’s Bay’s 2006 study was completed recently in the Melbourne’s inner west and its resulting inventory of heritage places has recently become searchable via the Victorian Heritage Register online.

Bayside City Council

A recently concluded Inter-War and Post-War Heritage Study study begun in 2008 by Bayside Council in Melbourne’s bayside southern suburbs which nominated many postwar homes however its initiative received backlash from residents.

Brimbank City Council

Brimbank council in Melbourne’s north west implemented a “Post-contact Cultural Heritage Study and Amendment” which was approved in 2007.

Shire of Cardinia

The Shire of Cardinia on Melbourne’s outskirts also conducted a major review in 2007.

City of Darebin

Darebin around Northcote and Preston conducted a review in 2007 focusing mainly on indigenous heritage, archeology and gaps in previous heritage studies.

City of Moonee Valley

Mooney Valley around Moonee Ponds released a review in 2007.

City of Kingston

Kingston completed its latest major heritage review in 2006.

City of Manningham

The City of Manningham around Doncaster area also conducted a major review in 2006.

Shire of Nillumbik

The Shire of Nillumbik representing the fringe area and townships around Greensborough released a heritage report as recently as 2006.

City of Port Phillip

The City of Port Phillip completed its East St Kilda (2004) and Elwood (2005) heritage studies some time ago.

City of Yarra

City of Yarra completed a significant heritage study in 2004.

City of Hume

The City of Hume commissioned a heritage study in 2003 which was released in 2004.

City of Whitehorse

The council representing the area around Box Hill completed their latest heritage study in 2003.

City of Maroondah

Maroondah in the Ringwood area produced a heritage study in 2003.

Councils with notably out of date Heritage Controls

The City of Melbourne (1982) is by far the grandaddy of them all in terms of unacceptably old heritage controls with the longest drought in heritage studies, however other councils that are notably behind include: Knox (1993); Frankston (1995-1997);  Wyndham (1997); Casey (1998);  Glen Eira (1999);  Greater Dandenong (1999-2000); Yarra Ranges (2000) and City of Monash (2000).

Apart from Glen Eira and Monash these councils are mostly on the metropolitan fringe.  Areas such as the urban fringe where there is little perceived heritage are possibly the most vulnerable – particularly those like Dandenong and Frankston which are designated as Major Activity Centres under the Melbourne 2030 and more recently Melbourne @ 5 million planning policies.

Arsonists set fire to the local landmark St Catherine’s Greek Orthodox Church in East Malvern overnight.

Firefighters managed to save the National Trust listed St Catherine’s Church, but the hall was apparently destroyed.  The church, built between 1921-1924 is sited near Caulfield railway station in Epping Street, a street notable for its leafy aspect and Edwardian character. The building, designed by North & Williams only recently underwent an expensive restoration to complete its towers is notable for its intricate window tracery designs.

While this attack may have been motivated by other reasons than a dislike for heritage and architecture, the area is fast losing its Edwardian and Interwar character, since recent overdevelopment and the demolition of several local landmarks including the nearby Turf Club Hotel and the ongoing expansion of Monash University’s Caulfield campus.

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Spotted on RealEstatesource.com.au, Marc Pallisco has published a rumour that the magnificent Edzell mansion  at 76 St Georges Road Toorak which recently changed hands for an undisclosed is about to be restored.

Edzell designed by Reed Smart & Tappin in 1892 is one of Tooraks major landmarks and is listed by both Heritage Victoria and National Trust.  While barely visible from St Georges road through the thick trees, it is one of the few remaining massive old mansions viewable from the Yarra River with its distinctive Edwardian baroque tower and Queen Anne roof and gables.

St Georges Road was once home to many grand mansions, but many were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s for flat and unit development.  More recently its character has been restored somewhat with a number of sympathetic (and not to mention very expensive) private developments.

It is great to see someone taking pride in Melbourne’s heritage.  We’ll be watching this one with interest.

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The Capitol Bakeries site at 257 Toorak Road on the corner of Chapel Street is a large eclectic building featuring significant 1933 art deco design on the corner facade, large door motifs of moorish and byzantine inspiration and an early modern tower. It also includes a two storey Victorian renaissance revival mansion at the rear which is slightly hidden and hemmed between a nasty looking brown bricked Telstra Exchange tower. Formerly a tram shed which embraced the street at Toorak Road, many aspects of its early design are still evident and it is one of the few remaining former tram sheds in the inner city, with the demolition of Penfold’s building in Fitzroy.

The most distinctive features are the moderne and art deco patterns in the corner facade and tower which include jazz era columns and rams head motifs and both sections include the inscription “Capitol Bakeries”. The current cream monotone paint job, presumably applied in the 1950s unfortunately does little to highlight the heritage features of the building.

In the 1980s the building was converted into an amusement parlour known as the “Fun Factory”, which heavily modified the interiors and added a additional levels. It has been home to the Soda Rock Diner, an American style cafe and Freedom Furniture. The redevelopment included a tunnel for pedestrian access through the building.

The Capitol site on the corner of Chapel Street and Toorak Road and includes an impressive .

The site was one of the first victims of the Melbourne 2030 planning policy which defined South Yarra as an “activity centre” ripe for multi-storey development later to be known as the “Forrest Hill Precinct” which has been progressively turned into hi-rise apartment buildings.

The City of Stonnington opposed a planning permit for the Capitol site in 2002, but lost its appeal to VCAT, which subsequently approved demolition of the landmark art deco building.

Development of the land for a 27 storey building (maximum height) for the accommodation of 213 dwellings, shops and food and drink premises and basement car parking (666 spaces) in addition to demolition of the existing buildings and use of the land for a residential building (78 serviced apartments) and the sale and consumption of liquor and the dispensation of car parking”.

However the application stalled and several subsequent proposals including a Nonda Katsalidis designed tower – none of which retention of the art deco facades – have also stalled, giving the old building a temporary reprieve.

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The latest development is set to go ahead and again, does not preserve any of the Capitol, so it looks almost certain to be the final curtains for a South Yarra icon.

Tower may top Fun Factory

Development approval is being sought for a $A150m residential, retail and commercial project in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra. Dubbed “The Capitol“, the proposed project on the Fun Factory site comprises a 38-storey apartment building, a six-floor office complex and a 3,471sq m shopping arcade. The site is jointly owned by APN Property Group and the founders of Freedom Furniture. There are also plans to construct an apartment building and office building on the site of South Yarra’s Jam Factory.