Anger mounts over demolition of heritage-listed house in Hobart
Updated
The Hobart City Council is investigating after a heritage-listed house in the city's northern suburbs was partially demolished without a permit.
Resident Ian Macdonald said he and other neighbours of the property, located on Mount Stuart Road in Mount Stuart, saw a group of men take to some trees yesterday morning.
"[They] came with chainsaws and started cutting down the 160-year-old Irish yew and this massive bay tree that was here, both of which had preservation orders in place," he said.
"I rang the council at that stage."
A few hours later, residents said, the men turned their attention to the house.
"The guy just got his excavator off the truck and just started smashing the house to pieces," Mr Macdonald said.
"He wasn't doing it in any sort of a controlled manner."
Hobart City Council Alderman Marty Zucco went to the site after being called by concerned residents.
The demolition halted with the house partially levelled.
Mr Zucco issued a stern warning to the developer.
"I, in my 25 years of being on council, I have never seen or heard of anything like this ever," he said.
"As far as I'm concerned, whoever this person is, whoever this builder is, it's not going to happen.
"There's no cowboys going to come into Hobart and think they can do whatever they bloody well want.
"It's not going to happen in Hobart."
Development could be blocked for decade
The 1890s house, which has panoramic views over the River Derwent and city, was sold at auction late last year for $445,000.
The Hobart City Council said the property was heritage listed under the city's planning scheme.
Today, the council has sent investigators to test for the presence of asbestos on the site.
Lord Mayor Sue Hickey told ABC Radio Hobart the council could stop the developer doing any development on the site for a decade.
"The council apparently does have some laws and penalties etcetera, but one of the strongest is that that developer will not be able to develop on that land for 10 years," she said.
"That is at least one of the penalties that will be thrown at him.
"If you're a developer, the last thing you want to do is be held up with the development."
Topics: urban-development-and-planning, community-and-society, mount-stuart-7000
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