Aussies trying to save derelict 100-year-old homes from being demolished
They are derelict homes many would happily see torn down but some Aussies are fighting against the destruction of our “tin and timber” heritage.
The houses may look derelict and even ugly to some but residents are rising up against the demolition of Australia’s “tin and timber” heritage.
In Brisbane, homes that were built prior to 1911 have extra protection against demolition, but developers have been able to gain approval to knock down homes if they’ve fallen into disrepair.
Brisbane City Council recently approved the demolition of 8 Sackville St, Milton, despite it being a pre-1911 building with character overlay protection that should have made this almost impossible.
The owners of the house argue the building is structurally unsound and say it would cost $345,540 to make it safe, an amount they believe would be considered “unreasonable” by the Planning and Environment Court in comparison with other cases considered for demolition.
It’s an argument that doesn’t make sense to Jesse Taylor, who owns a property in the street, and says if the property was renovated and the owners either raised the building up, built underneath or extended it, this would dramatically boost its value.
The Sackville St home, pictured in a derelict state with overhanging vines, was sold for $890,000 in November last year.
“You could easily turn it into a five-bedroom home and there are examples of that in the street,” Mr Taylor told news.com.au.
“If they were to do that, the actual cost of fixing up that cottage to incorporate a new build would not be excessive, when considering the end price could be $2.5 million or possibly even more,” Mr Taylor said.
He believes the demolition approval shows planning instruments are failing these types of properties.
Mr Taylor said it was too easy for owners to neglect homes, for example to allow termites to get in, and then say the damage was too expensive to fix, taking council to court if it didn’t agree to demolish the buildings.
The Sackville property had extensive water and termite damage to structural elements, with the owners saying significant portions of the dwelling would need to be demolished to make it safe.
Brisbane City Council said it took the monitoring and managing of unsightly properties very seriously.
“Unfortunately, some properties fall into disrepair, including those in the hands of vulnerable owners,” a council spokeswoman said.
“The Hoarding and Squalor team had attempted to work with the previous owner of 8 Sackville Street, Milton, regarding the state of the property.”
The spokeswoman said the property was protected under a character residential overlay, which means any new build would need to reflect, protect and enhance the character of the surrounding residential area.
‘Brisbane has lost too many beautiful buildings’
Mr Taylor, who is also the administrator of a local Facebook page for the Paddington, Milton and Rosalie residents, said the community had been calling for years for an audit of pre-1911 dwellings.
“It’s really quite sad that we are still blatantly losing them,” he said.
He said recent interest in the “Bluey house” showed the popularity of these types of homes. The cottage in Charlotte Street, Paddington – which was given a makeover to look like the home in the world-famous children’s series as part of an Airbnb promotion – recently sold for $1.8 million.
Mr Taylor said the city’s “tin and timber” homes were part of the reason why artists created paintings of Paddington.
“If we lose that character through death by a thousand cuts, we slowly lose our character,” he said. “Brisbane as a city has accepted too much of this demolition over the years, it’s a travesty.
“It’s lost too many of its beautiful buildings and people are starting to realise that Brisbane has a unique beauty, with its timber and tin, it’s something that other cities don’t have.”
Another example is the bright yellow building at 68 Caxton St, Petrie Terrace.
Mr Taylor said the home did not have any downpipes so water is likely getting into the walls.
“I’m sure the owner could make a similar argument and get that demolished,” Mr Taylor said.
Fortunately it has recently been sold but the new owners reportedly say they are going to restore it.
The property at Caxton St is also protected by the pre-1911 character overlay. Mr Taylor said it was a beautiful building, and is also well-known partly because of its bright colour and rumoured past as a brothel.
He said these types of places weren’t being maintained and then arguments about the cost of repair appeared to be exaggerated, when compared to the returns possible if they were renovated.
“Renovated cottages sell for huge money,” he said. “But when it comes to protecting these dwellings, council appears to roll over every time.”
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