The State Administrative Tribunal has ruled in favour of a plan to demolish buildings still standing on a section of land purchased for $59 million in 2015.
The State Administrative Tribunal has ruled in favour of a plan to demolish buildings still standing on a section of land purchased for $59 million in 2015.
North Fremantle JV bought a 4.4-hectare parcel of land on Bracks Street in North Fremantle in 2015, according to CoreLogic.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission documents show the company structure is shared between superannuation fund Hostplus, which holds 60 per cent, and Singapore-based hospitality group Roxy-Pacific Holdings with the remaining 40 per cent.
Directors of North Fremantle JV are listed as Roxy-Pacific Holdings executive chairman and chief executive Teo Hong Lim, Hostplus chief executive David Elia, Elizabeth Walsh from NSW and Victoria-based Mayur Taylor.
The company applied to the City of Fremantle to demolish existing warehouses and office building on the 25 lots comprising a 1.7ha of land on 90 Bracks Street, in late 2021.
In March, the city's council approved the demolition but on condition the applicant retain parts of the Massey Harris and the J Gadsden buildings, and the masonry façade.
The original fabric, not including asbestos roofing, was to be conserved and maintained on site.
North Fremantle JV applied to the SAT to review the council's decision.
The city’s planning officers recommended the council approve the demolition without any of the conditions but councillors reaffirmed their stance at its meeting in May.
The council claimed the existing structures were the last representative examples of the type and style of buildings associated with former industrial activities.
In a decision delivered on Friday, the tribunal found the buildings and structures had little to no cultural heritage significance.
A heritage assessment found the Massey-Harris building is a pre-1936 structure from the interwar period, while the Gadsden building was constructed in two stages between 1937 and 1939.
The tribunal did not dispute the site is within the North Fremantle heritage area but noted it was not included in the state register or the city’s local heritage list.
The applicant also claimed that the asbestos contamination on the site as a health risk outweigh support to retain the conditions.
In her decision, SAT member Charmian Barton said the buildings and structures did not make significant contribution to the area’s broader heritage character.
“Whilst the buildings reflect the former use and industrial character of the area, we find that they comprise generic warehouse development which has been substantially altered over time and has lost much of its original fabric,” she said.
“In the circumstances of this case, we are satisfied that the potential risk to human health and safety from the decontamination and encapsulation process, together with the limited heritage significance of the structures, are factors that weigh against their retention for cultural heritage purposes.
"Accordingly, we will vary the decision of the city to grant approval to the demolition of the buildings and structure at the subject land by deleting (the conditions) in their entirety."
Business News previously reported Pindan Capital, now in administration, was involved in the deal made by North Fremantle JV for the Bracks Street land.
According to Roxy-Pacific’s website, the 4.4-hectare of land in North Fremantle is in freehold and is to be rezoned for commercial and residential use.
