No opposition to Goods Shed demolition proposal

No opposition to Goods Shed  demolition proposal

There is no apparent opposition to a plan to demolish seven bays of Docklands’ historic Goods Shed North.

A permit application for the proposal was advertised by Heritage Victoria  in May, however a spokesperson said no submissions had been received in response to the application.

Equiset Grollo Group plans to demolish the seven bays, along with the existing three-storey 710 Collins St building, to make way for a 34-storey commercial tower.

The three-storey structure, which currently serves as the Collins St entrance to the Goods Shed North, was completed just four years ago, while the Goods Shed was built in the 1800s.

The proposed development would include a public staircase connecting Collins St with the Goods Shed and Village St and Aurora Lane below.

A new urban plaza would be located at the bottom of the staircase, running between the Goods Shed and the commercial tower, and connecting Aurora Lane and Village St, and retail would run along the Village St side of the building.

According to the Heritage Impact Statement included with the permit application, the loss of original fabric from the structure is balanced with the reconnection of the shed with Collins St and the introduction of a public plaza at ground level.

“The change is an importance one in reinforcing the presence of the historic building in the wider context,” the statement says.

The Heritage Impact Statement originally stated three and a half bays would be demolished, however a Heritage Victoria spokesperson confirmed the developers were proposing to demolish seven bays and had been contacted to correct the statement.

The spokesperson said this correction did not mean the permit would need to be readvertised and that the only reference to three and a half bays being demolished was “buried in the Heritage Impact Statement”.

The spokesperson said the proposal to demolish seven bays was clearly indicated on the Heritage Victoria Website, the notice on the website and in a print advertisement.

“As nobody has objected we don’t believe that anybody had been materially disadvantaged by the discrepancy,” the spokesperson said.

Unless further information is required in order for the executive director of Heritage Victoria, a decision is expected in July.

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