Posts Tagged ‘elwood’

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.

A fire has badly damaged an Elwood Edwardian landmark – now home to the popular Turtle Cafe.

The two storey building, originally called “The Alderley” at 34 Glen Huntly Road Elwood dominates the Elwood junction of Broadway, Glenhuntly, Ormond and Normanby Roads with its distinctive twin Federation Freestyle oriel towers.  It is in a City of Port Phillip heritage overlay.  It was aparently spared from demolition but most of the interiors were gutted.

Here is the full report from the Herald Sun.

View Larger Map

View Larger Map