Caulfield Grammar: Residents furious over plan to demolish heritage homes

Caulfied Grammar School is at the centre of a major dispute with local residents over a plan to expand and knock down multiple heritage houses.

Caulfield Grammar School has been accused of acting above the law. Picture: Nearmap

CAULFIELD Grammar school has been accused of acting “above the law” as it pursues a plan to expand its Malvern campus and demolish seven protected heritage houses.

The school claims to be consulting with local residents, but they say it has been acting illegally, ignoring planning approvals and behaving “as it pleases”.

Residents in the school’s Community Liaison Group (CLG) have written to Planning Minister Lizzie Blandthorn over the school’s plans to knock down protected houses in Harold Ave and Willoby Ave worth up to $30 million.

The school’s Master Plan, obtained by the Herald Sun, shows these properties would be sacrificed to make way for a new gym, tennis court, underground car park and at least three new buildings.

One of the Willoby Ave homes under threat.

The residents fear the approach, which bypasses council and VCAT and goes directly to the planning minister, sets a precedent for other schools in the area such as Korowa Anglican Girls’ School and Sacre Coeur School.

The Caulfield Grammar 20-year Master Plan aims to “equip students for unwritten futures” and increase student numbers on the site from 430 to 500.

It states that it has been prepared with the input of residents facilitated by an independent barrister.

But the residents have questioned the independence of the facilitator and say their views have been ignored despite three years of discussion.

“The school told the CLG there was no commitment to proceed with the presented Master Plan if the school did not obtain approval for everything it wants,” their letter to Ms Blandthorn said.

Areas which will be affected by the Caulfield Grammar expansion Picture: Supplied

“The school has continually shown disregard to its local residents and neighbourhood and has frankly acted as if it is above the law,” the letter said.

This includes getting retrospective planning approvals, carrying out works without planning approvals and ignoring permit conditions. The letter also states that the school has “locked its gates” by removing all on-site carparking.

The Herald Sun has been advised that the school has been issued with multiple noncompliance orders over the last few years over this and other matters.

One of the homes that would be demolished under the plan. Picture: Supplied

“For over 20 years the school has acted as it pleases but this new Master Plan is unacceptable and well beyond the limits of protecting a residential historic area,” the letter said.

It was signed by six residents directly neighbouring the affected properties who were members of the Community Liaison Group.

A resident linked to the process said the masterplan “effectively shows a new school built on residential land despite protection afforded by the heritage overlay and restrictive covenants specifying the use of the land for a residence”.

“With three large schools within 100m of each other, these plans for expansion present a frightening precedent for this historic area,” the resident said.

A spokesperson for the school said they are “continuing to consult stakeholders in relation to the development of the draft Masterplan for Malvern Campus”.

“In 2018, we established a consultation process with representatives of the local residents forming a community liaison group, initiating a range of engagement initiatives. Subsequently, we’ve heard and moved on aspects of the draft Masterplan, including making certain adjustments,” they said.

A spokesman for the school said they were “continuing to consult stakeholders in relation to the development of the draft masterplan for Malvern campus”.