Mayor achieves stop work order on demolition of historic homestead

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams has won a reprieve for a local heritage building after Acting Minister for Environment Leeanne Enoch agreed to a Stop Work Order on the proposed demolition of a 136-year-old Wellington Point homestead.

Cr Williams wrote to Minister Enoch earlier in the week after being alerted to the potential demolition of the privately-owned building.

“Council had already identified this property as having local heritage value and we are undertaking a City Plan amendment to add it, along with 48 other local properties, to our local heritage register to protect them,” Cr Williams said.

“This process is governed by State legislation and takes time, meaning there is the potential for the property to be demolished in the meantime without any approval being needed from Council.

“Earlier this week I discovered the owners were proposing to demolish the property, prompting me to write to the Minister, asking her to intervene through a stop work order to allow time for other options to be explored.

“I am pleased the Minister has listened to my request, which will now prevent any work which could be detrimental to the property for 60 days.

“Council officers have also contacted the owners to discuss options.”

Cr Williams said Council’s move to list the property on its local heritage register followed a city-wide heritage assessment.

“Council is committed to protecting local heritage and as part of the City Plan we have a local heritage register that protects locally significant heritage places,” she said.

“Recognising local heritage values may exist on properties that are not currently listed, Council recently engaged a heritage consultant to identify and document local heritage values across the city, with this property being one that was identified.

“We will now continue this process to help protect our local heritage.”

Division 1 Councillor Wendy Boglary said adding these properties to Council’s heritage register would help protect the city’s European heritage places.

“Redlands Coast has a rich history and many of these valued heritage places represent the historical themes and periods of Redlands Coast’s post-European history,” she said.

“It is important that we strive to protect them.”