Hobart City Council reluctantly approves partial demolition of former Forestry Tasmania building

AN award-winning architectural project is set to be partially demolished to make way for the new Tasmania Police headquarters in Melville St.

The award-winning building was the former headquarters for Forestry Tasmania.

AN award-winning architectural project is set to be partially demolished to make way for the new Tasmania Police headquarters in Melville St.

Architect Robert Morris-Nunn won multiple awards for the adaptive architecture linking two heritage-listed buildings to form the Forestry Tasmania offices in the 1990s, complete with internal forest.

However, the alterations were not added to the heritage listing for the site.

It means the Hobart City Council was forced to reluctantly approve an application to demolish part of the building because there were no grounds under the planning scheme to refuse it.

Internal works, including removal of the internal forest, have already taken place.

Mr Morris-Nunn, who was notified of the application under the Copyright Act, said the situation was “gut wrenching” and the works would result in the award-winning building “profoundly altered”.

“I think it’s absolutely appalling that this work could be carried out on a building that has received those sorts of accolades,” he said.

The building won the Australasian Lightweight Structures Award 1998, a number of Tasmanian awards and was a finalist in the 1998 National Architecture Awards.

It also won several design and engineering awards.

Aldermen were virtually silent as they were asked to vote on the application, with acting Lord Mayor Ron Christie taking the unusual step of asking for a show of hands rather than a verbal vote.

Alderman Helen Burnet, who is running as a Greens candidate in the state election, described it as a tragedy.

“It’s a considerable shame … I think this application unfortunately trashes some of our significant 20th century history,” Ald Burnet said.

“It’s a concern too that the tenant of this building is the State Government.”

The application also includes the addition of external bollards, replacement of the glazed facade with non-combustible composite panel and escape door, and removal of atrium framed glazing, stairs, lift and bridge. Project architect John Button could not be contacted.

Also at Monday night’s meeting, the council agreed to call for expressions of interest from private operators to provide an all-weather shuttle bus transport service up kunanyi/Mount Wellington.