NEWS
A property owner seeking a demolition order on his heritage-listed New Farm block of flats in Maxwell Street has told a public meeting he will not demolish the flats even if his bid succeeds.
Mr Chris Elliot, who lives in one of the nine units that make up Maxwell Place, told a meeting last Saturday week outside his property: “I have no intention of demolishing it.”
Mr Elliot is seeking approval to “carry out building works” by altering the building’s status from “Local Heritage Place” to “Demolition of a Local Heritage Place”. Some 55 local residents and interested parties attended the meeting organised by ALP candidate for the city council’s Central Ward Paul Crowther.
The meeting was held just several days before public submissions closed on the demolition application. Among the participants was former Lord Mayor Jim Soorley.
Mr Elliot told the meeting he had sought the order partly to make the point that he had not been given the opportunity to make a case against the original heritage order on the building.
Current Central ward councillor David Hinchliffe who is retiring at the next municipal poll said he respected Mr Elliot’s pledge and believed he was sincere in making it. “But if it has a demolition permit on it, know one knows what might happen in the future under a different owner.” Cr Hinchliffe said he also appreciated why Mr Elliot would be upset about not being notified formally of the original heritage listing.
In his time as planning committee chair between 2002 and 2008, he had changed the rules that all property owners were notified of any heritage move. But Cr Hinchliffe added that even if Mr Elliot had made a submission, his two-decades of experience as a local councillor told him the property heritage listing would have gone ahead anyway.
Several local residents said the preservation of the flats was crucial as New Farm was losing its character dwellings far too quickly. One said the suburb faced the risk of turning into just another European-style city made up of highrise apartments and little else.
Mr Crowther told The Independent later: “We are quickly losing the character of our suburb. It is important that with any development in the area, the voice of residents is heard and taken into account before any decision is made.
“In response to Chris’s comments, the reason we have heritage protection is so we do not have to take somebody on their word.”
Central Ward Councillor David Hinchliffe addresses the recent Maxwell Street meeting, organised by Paul Crowther, right.
