Rosanna residents lose battle to save 1905 heritage house
A two-year fight to save a 114-year-old Rosanna farmhouse has been lost, after the State Government ruled it was not of heritage significance. The decision has paved the way for Arden Chase to be torn down for townhouses.
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A two-year fight to save a 114-year-old Rosanna farmhouse from demolition has been lost.
Planning Minister Richard Wynne recently vetoed a bid for permanent protections for the Edwardian estate, known as Arden Chase, which will now be torn down to make way for seven townhouses.
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A group of motivated neighbours had banded with Banyule Council to save the 1905 built weatherboard farmhouse – complete with tower – which stood untouched for decades despite having no heritage protection.
An interim heritage protection placed on the house on Arden Crescent expired on November 1.
This means bulldozers could come any day to tear down one of Rosanna’s oldest houses to make way for the planned two-storey townhouses.
Neighbour Caroline Everett was one of the leading figures in the campaign to save the house and said she was furious about the disappointing outcome.
“The day the bulldozers come in to knock down the oldest property in Rosanna will be heart-wrenching,” Ms Everett said.
“There’s no replacing it, you can’t put a value on sentimental attachment.”
The council first received the private developer’s planning permit in August 2017, which outlined the demolition of 22 Arden Crescent to make way for seven townhouses.
This prompted the council to apply for an interim heritage overlay while they prepared a case for permanent heritage protection.
The council presented their case to a planning panel in May but the panel recommended the protection be abandoned as there wasn't sufficient heritage significance.
Despite the panel’s recommendation, the council called on Mr Wynne to make the protection permanent.
The submission was accompanied by a community petition of more than 500 signatures.
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But Mr Wynne agreed with the panel and ruled on October 27 that it was not worthy of protection as it had been substantially altered.
Banyule Mayor Alison Champion said the council had fought hard.
“We’re disappointed that this (protection) has not been realised,” Ms Champion said.
The developer bought the property in 2016 for $2.2 million, a far cry from the £50 Robert Munt paid for the 15 acres of land it once encompassed in 1905.
courtney.beaumont@news.com.au