Mount Stuart colonial home demolition court hearing delayed

A man previously convicted for illegally demolishing his 1885 Mount Stuart home will face court in May as he fights a new batch of criminal charges. Check out what the site looks like now.

Darko Krajinovic has pleaded not guilty to five charges relating to the alleged removal of stone footings at his heritage-listed home. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

A HOBART man who was previously convicted for illegally demolishing his heritage-listed Mount Stuart home will not front court today to fight a second round of charges as expected.

Darko Krajinovic, 34, was due to face the Hobart Magistrates Court on Thursday for a two-day hearing over additional charges relating to the destruction of the 1885 home in February 2017.

A picture of the site taken today. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

The hearing has been moved to May 28, the Hobart Magistrates Court confirmed this morning.

Krajinovic has pleaded not guilty to five charges relating to the alleged removal of stone footings at the hill-top location of 55 Mount Stuart Road, including failure to ensure demolition work complied with the Building Act, failure to engage a building surveyor, and undertaking a development contrary to a planning scheme.

What is left of the house is covered in graffiti. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

He previously pleaded guilty to nine charges relating to the demolition and was fined $225,000, subsequently losing an August 2018 Supreme Court appeal when he argued the penalty was manifestly excessive.

Then in May 2019, Krajinovic got the green light to develop four townhouses at the property after amendments to the Land Use and Planning Approvals Act meant Hobart City Council was not able to apply for an order banning him from developing the site.

The partially demolished house in 2017. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

The upcoming Magistrates Court hearing, according to Hobart City Council’s lawyer Martin Butler, is expected to take two days, with a council heritage officer, other council employees, and four civilian witnesses expected to give evidence.