Prospect Council approves demolition of Rosemont Hall’s heritage facade

The heritage-listed frontage of a landmark Prospect Rd building ravaged by fire last year has been approved for destruction. But the saga isn’t over yet.

The heritage facade of fire-ravaged Rosemont Hall has been approved for demolition by the Prospect Council following pleas by the restaurant’s owner. 

A panel involving council members and architects approved the application to demolish the frontage on Monday evening after they were satisfied the damage was beyond repair.

Prospect Mayor David O’Loughlin said a request to destroy the rest of the building was subject to a separate application.

“The approval has been given for the demolition of the heritage-listed facade, the front wall only, with conditions that it must first be measured and surveyed to assist in the reproduction the owner wishes to do,” Mr O’Loughlin told The Advertiser.

He said the owner must also retain elements of the original metal verandah.

“The balance of the building behind the front wall is subject to a second application where the owner has applied to demolish the entire building and replace it all with a precast panel structure including an expansion and a partial basement,” he said.

“That application is requiring further information from the owner before it can be processed through council and I expect now that the owner will provide those responses and that application can get a move-on and be approved in due course.”

The damage to Rosemont Hall has been blocking foot traffic along Prospect Rd for months. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Mr O’Loughlin said more processes must be completed before the destruction of the facade occurs, including building rules consent which involved a private certifier.

A council meeting held on December 6 had initially suggested council was not satisfied the wall could not be repaired.

Sunny’s Shop and Rosemont Hall on Prospect Rd was gutted by a fierce fire in September.

Owner Aaron Ratanatray has since vowed to rebuild the structure to be an exact replica of the heritage structure.

“We’re pretty prepared this time,” Mr Ratanatray said before Monday’s meeting.

“We’ve appointed two barristers, two lawyers, two engineers and two architects.”

Mr Ratanatray said he was keen to see a positive outcome at the panel meeting, after being slapped with a $10,000 a month fine from the Department of Transport for the road closures the building is causing.