Owner of multimillion-dollar, historic Mt Stuart home blocked from changing flooring

The owner of a multimillion dollar, historic Mount Stuart home built in the late 1800s has been legally restrained from tiling over its floorboards. Find out why.

”Maidstone”, built in 1897, is an example of the Federal Queen Anne style of architecture and sits atop Mount Stuart.

The owner of a multimillion dollar, historic Mount Stuart home has been legally restrained from tiling over its floorboards, with a tribunal deeming it to be a breach of Hobart’s heritage rules.

The stately “Maidstone”, built in the Federation Queen Anne style and located at 26 Elphinstone Road, is listed as a heritage place and is also located within a heritage precinct.

According to a newly-published Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal decision, Maidstone’s owner was recently granted approval by the Hobart City Council to undertake a partial demolition and reconstruction at the property – albeit with various conditions and restrictions.

The owner, identified in the decision as S Kong, challenged one of the conditions – to maintain the property’s current floorboards.

The tribunal noted he wanted to install tiles over the top of the floorboards, and had partially already done so.

Mr Kong appealed the council’s decision to the tribunal, arguing the tiling would “not bring about a loss of heritage significance” and that the condition was so unreasonable that “no reasonable planning authority would impose it”.

Both Mr Kong and Hobart City Council sourced an experienced heritage architect to give evidence about Maidstone’s heritage significance, and how the tiles would impact that significance.

The interior and front entrance of the 1897 home.

Sarah Waight, for the council, said Federation Queen Anne internal features included an entrance hall and long corridors with polished floorboards, furnished with carpet runners.

Graeme Corney, for Mr Kong, argued Maidstone was of relatively low heritage significance and could therefore tolerate more change without impacting on its heritage value with the timber floors “a relatively minor characteristic” of Federation Queen Anne houses.

But Ms Waight disagreed, arguing Maidstone was a “particularly fine example” of the architectural style.

She said the tiles were “modern, large, rectangular and glazed with a mottled appearance”, which were incompatible with the style.

The tribunal ruled that the tiles would result in loss of historic cultural significance through incompatible design.

Mr Kong must now remove the tiles, residual glue and other substances on the floorboards, which must also be cleaned and repaired on the advice of a qualified heritage person.

The six-bedroom Maidstone was built in 1897 and features 7000 sqm of lawns and established grounds, a pool and tennis courts.

It is hidden from street view, has panoramic views over the Derwent, and was last sold in 2001 for $4.2 million.

Follow @ambervwilson

Originally published as Owner of multimillion-dollar, historic Mt Stuart home blocked from changing flooring