Residents claim Hampton homes ‘trashed’ as protection fight goes on

Residents fighting the destruction of Hampton heritage houses allege workers “trashed” unique features of the properties ahead of a court case to decide the fate of the Edwardian homes.

Residents and police at four houses in Service street Hampton that are at risk of being demolished. Picture: David Crosling

Residents fighting the destruction of four Bayside heritage houses believe workers “trashed’’ unique features of the properties before a VCAT case to decide their fate.

Bayside Council this week wrote to Planning Minister Richard Wynne seeking an interim heritage order to protect the row of homes in Service St, Hampton.

But residents on Tuesday are said to have woken to workers stripping period features of the homes while security guards kept watch.

Service St resident Graham Robson alleged an act of “vandalism” had been committed against the Edwardian homes.

One of the four Hampton houses under threat. Picture: David Crosling

“If COVID has shown us anything it’s that our homes really are our castles and our backyards are our neighbourhoods,” he said.

“This is about neighbourhood character as much as it is about heritage and we need to protect both.”

Bayside council development services manager Matthew Cripps confirmed the interim heritage protection application and said it was investigating if the works conducted Tuesday breached local or planning laws.

“This follows a heritage assessment that found the properties are suitable for local heritage controls,’’ he said.

Residents say workers demolished unique features of the homes. Picture: David Crosling

“They basically trashed the place, removing the stain glass windows and smashing them on site in full view of about 30 local residents,” he said.

“The fretwork on these properties, they’ve just taken a chainsaw and cut that off.

“They boarded up anything at the front that looked like heritage detail.”

The Herald Sun recently revealed plans by developer Michael Kokkinos to demolish the homes and build a three storey, 36 apartment block with a rooftop pool overlooking Port Phillip Bay.

Mr Kokkinos told the Herald Sun the “greater majority of the local residents’’ were against heritage protection because they would “be constrained from updating or renovating their homes’’.

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