I wrote that there was a further dimension to the story of Mission Afloat having to leave Montgomery Park because the Anglican Church said it had to go. There is also another dimension to the future of Wellspring Anglican Church with its ambition to have a large new auditorium on its Grosvenor-Lord Streets site in Sandy Bay.
Hobart City Council rejected the application to demolish the Californian bungalow the church owns alongside at 15 Lord Street to make way for the auditorium because it’s not in keeping with the streetscape and there are significant heritage considerations.
As the bungalow is on the Tasmanian Heritage Register (in fact the church bought it in 1997 and had it on the register the following year, so it obviously realised its significance) the application was subject to consideration by the Tasmanian Heritage Council.
The Heritage Council’s opinion for the HCC was to reject the application because it saw demolition of the bungalow (called Tara) as “impacting adversely” on the area’s heritage. The Heritage Council noted a substantial number of representations on the project – nearly all objections (18 against, just one in favour).
The Heritage Council further saw the overall development’s adverse impact on the “values of the places and the streetscape”. For places also read historic St Peter’s Church fronting Grosvenor Street.
But the Heritage Council also penned a paragraph of “advice”, chairperson Michael Lynch saying his council would “encourage further exploration of alternative designs” that would provide for Wellspring to continue occupying the site – and not totally demolish Tara.
But therein lies a problem it seems, considering the church’s declared intention for the site.
When the application for the work was lodged with the HCC, it was made clear the church saw “no alternative design that can satisfy the needs and expectations of this Anglican parish such that they would retain and continue to use the site, whilst retaining the cottage”.
This can be interpreted as saying if Tara can’t be demolished to allow for the auditorium then Wellspring won’t stay.
This appears to be further underlined in a report by HCC officers on the building application. The church was given further time to consider its options for a possible amended design. The outcome?: “In the end this did not result in significantly amended plans.”
Rejection of the project by the HCC, and this rejection being endorsed by the Heritage Council, can be appealed to the Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal.
Given the situation, it’s going to be interesting to watch developments.
