Heritage fight over beer baron’s mansion

A battle is looming over plans to turn a stately East Melbourne home once owned by the founder of Young & Jackson into an apartment tower.

An artist's impression of the tower planned for 140-142 Jolimont Rd. Picture: Supplied

A historic East Melbourne property described as “the house that beer built’’ would be turned into a six-storey luxury apartment block under new plans.

Developers have submitted a revised blueprint for stately “Eblana’’ — built by one of the founders of Young & Jackson pub — as a VCAT fight over its future looms.

A five-day hearing has been set down for VCAT next month to decide the fate of the two storey heritage home built between the MCG and Fitzroy Gardens in 1893 by Thomas Joshua Jackson.

Developers PBA and Co want to knock down part of the C-graded heritage building in Jolimont Rd and build four high end, two-storey apartments above.

Two storeys have been taken off the original plans but East Melbourne Group planning convener Greg Bisinella said they were still too high.

“We are calling for a redesign of the facade to a more recessive and uniform design and changes to reduce the severe impact on heritage values,’’ he said.

“This heritage property has been referred to as ‘the house that beer built’.

“We would suggest Thomas Jackson would be crying into his beer if he saw what is proposed.’’

The former home of Thomas Jackson in Jolimont Rd, East Melbourne. Picture: Supplied

An artist's impression of the six-storey luxury apartment building slated for the site.

Cashed up residents would access a rooftop pool and garden with city views, if plans for the property — bought for $6.4 million last year — are approved.

The six-storey building would be almost 30m tall, twice the preferred maximum height in the area but substantially lower than the 41m tower originally proposed.

Mr Bisinella accused developers of “playing the old three card trick’’ by proposing “a completely outrageous’’ height then reducing it “to an equally unacceptable level to appear conciliatory’’.

“Residents are sick and tired of being played and expect our elected councillors, planners and VCAT to put a stop to this charade,’’ he said.

Residents would have access to a rooftop pool and garden. Picture: Supplied

He said residents were being forced to spend $50,000 at VCAT “to defend our heritage’’ from “an ill-conceived development idea that seeks too much from a site with significant limitations.”

Developer Alex Bragilevsky, of PBA and Co, declined to comment.

The City of Melbourne also declined to comment before the VCAT hearing.

Mr Bisinella said Melburnians were “fed up with the desecration of our heritage for the financial benefit of a few’’.

Eblana, described by the National Trust as a ‘‘boom period render Italianate style terrace’’, is a C-graded heritage building.

“Minor interior demolition’’ and removal of rear extensions and additions of the heritage house would be required for the development.

The site, 300m from Yarra Park and 400m from the MCG, currently adjoins a five-storey apartment block.