Adelaide heritage: Kingswood villa to be bulldozed by Solitaire Motors despite protests
News that Solitaire Motors has been given approval to demolish a nineteenth century villa in Kingswood has upset locals and now has them worried about the prestige car dealer’s plans for the site.
East, Inner Suburbs & Hills
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Luxury car dealer Solitaire Motors will demolish a 10-room villa in Kingswood, despite protests from local residents and supporters to save the historic property.
Solitaire this week received approval from Mitcham Council to knock down the turn-of the century property at 17 Belair Rd, but have not announced what will replace it.
Protesters are concerned it is a deliberate move to force the council into agreeing to an earlier plan – refused by the council assessment panel – to build a luxury car showroom on the site.
The panel rejected Solitaire’s five-metre high Aston Martin showroom proposal in February saying it failed to comply with the local planning code.
Joanna Wells, of Netherby, said she had contacted the council to complain about the demolition approval.
“This demolition looks to us to be a spiteful action and the council told me there is nothing they can do about it,” Ms Wells said.
“The community is concerned Solitaire will demolish and simply sit on an eyesore waiting for council to crumble and say, ‘OK, go ahead, anything is better than what we currently have’.
She said the council charged higher rates on vacant land to encourage landowners to not sit on empty blocks, but this was not always successful.
“There’s a block on Fullarton Rd that been a vacant for close to 10 years,” she said.
Ms Wells said the council had no explanation as to why the villa had not been included in the neighbouring historic conservation zone.
“The whole heritage listing thing is crazy,” she said.
“If the landowner doesn’t want it heritage listed, it’s not. So, any protection, such as it is, is at the whim of the owner.”
Lead protester Jen Byrne, who lives in Balham Ave, said residents were concerned the suburb was being transformed into “another Main North Rd”.
“This is heartbreaking news to think this beautiful house will be no longer,” she said.
“It’s just so frustrating that there appears to be nothing we can do to stop the destruction of our beautiful suburb.
“This house is beautiful inside with mahogany fireplaces and stained glass.
“Whatever is built in its place can never replace the history and beauty of this house.”
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Solitaire bought the villa, a former medical surgery, for $1.655 million in February 2017.
The company that was founded in South Australia in 1971 as a small used car dealership owns showrooms for Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volkswagen vehicles on the opposite side of Belair Rd, in Hawthorn.
Solitaire Motors has been contacted for comment.