Historic Melbourne house designed by Robin Boyd set to be bulldozed despite locals’ outcry

A Balwyn home designed by esteemed Victorian architect Robin Boyd is set to be hit with the wrecking ball despite thousands of locals petitioning against the move.

Sandra Alexander and Christina Branagan with members of the Boroondara Heritage Group for Advocacy and Protection Picture: David Caird

Planning Minister Richard Wynne has rejected an application to protect a Melbourne home designed by esteemed Victorian architect Robin Boyd from the wrecking ball.

Boroondara Council appealed to Mr Wynne to apply an interim heritage overlay on the modernist Balwyn North house to avoid it being carved up and sold off to developers.

But – despite more than 5300 people signing a petition calling for the home built in 1949 to be urgently protected — Mr Wynne and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning refused.

The council has instead begun the process of seeking permanent heritage protection but concerned residents fear developers will move on the house before it can be introduced.

Boroondara resident Sandra Alexander said the Andrews Government had turned its back on efforts to preserve a piece of Melbourne history.

A house designed by esteemed architect Robin Boyd will be demolished by developers. Picture: David Caird

“This is going to probably be bulldozed so we’re just besides ourselves,’’ she said.

“The community has not been listened to and we’re losing our heritage left, right and centre.

“Why a planning Minister would not want to place a heritage protection on a house by Robin Boyd is beyond me.’’

A spokeswoman for Mr Wynne, Nicole Bland, said the Minister knocked back the application because no plans had yet been lodged to demolish the property.

“There is no imminent threat to the property and therefore it is not appropriate for the Planning Minister to intervene at this time – if that changes the decision can be reviewed,’’ she said.

But Boroondara mayor Garry Thompson said rejecting “immediate protection’’ on that basis was “effectively saying a property only has heritage value if it is going to be demolished’’.

“Permanent controls can take six months or longer to put in place as it requires a rigorous process including public exhibition,’’ he said.

“The decision taken by the Minister’s delegate helps to explain the frustration the community has with the department’s advice regarding heritage.’’

Robin Boyd Foundation chair Tony Isaacson was “extremely disappointed” interim heritage control “to the state significant Robin Boyd designed Wood House’’ was refused.

“We understand that the owner continues to seek to market the property as a potential development site, unencumbered by heritage controls,’’ he said.
He said the house “warrants protection because of its local heritage significance and value because it is substantially intact, rare and important example of Boyd’s approach to residential design’’.
“Failure to protect now, when the risk is so clearly demonstrated, and in the face of council and public opinion, is ‘Yes Minister’ inaction,’’ he said.

Opposition planning spokesman Tim Smith said he appealed to Mr Wynne in August for interim heritage protection of the Tannock St house, “an early example of Boyd’s influential work”.

“It’s not just of state significance, this architect is of national significance … it’s always politics with these people,’’ he said.

The house was recommended for individual protection in a heritage study by the council in 2015.

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