By ALESHA CAPONE
A HISTORIC Masonic temple in Newport has been spared from the developer’s axe.
Earlier this month the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) turned down an application to destroy part of the temple, located at the corner of Melbourne Rd and Mason St in Newport.
The temple was built between 1924-1925 and is heritage listed.
Owners of the temple site had asked VCAT for permission to demolish all but the temple’s façade and around 4.5 metres north and south of the building, from the front veneer.
The developers hoped to build a four-storey building on the site with 18 dwellings, seven shops, a loading area and a basement car park.
Hobsons Bay City Council turned down the proposal in April 2012.
After receiving 11 objections to the proposal, the council said they were concerned about “the extent of demolition”.
However the developers appealed to VCAT, which decided in the council’s favour this year.
VCAT Member Rachel Naylor said utilising part of the temple for a future development should be considered – but such a proposal should not destroy the majority of its heritage value.
She said the present proposal’s demolition plans “would have an adverse affect” on the Masonic temple.
“Aesthetically, it is significant as a major and relatively sophisticated Masonic hall design in the neo-Grecian manner, which was designed by noted architect, Joseph Plottel,” she said.
“Situated on a prominent corner site it is a local landmark, which makes an important contribution to the historic character of the Newport Civic and Commercial precinct.
“New walls to match the existing footprint and a new roof that replaces the existing and retains the current detail are not, in my opinion, best described as reconstruction in this case – as it is not returning the building to a known earlier state.”
