St Joseph's church building - proposed demolition
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is seeking to demolish the majority of the St Joseph's Church building in Collingwood.
In late November 2011, Council refused the Archdiocese's application for a permit to undertake the demolition. Council's planning officers refused the application under their delegated powers after considering advice from a heritage expert.
The church building was constructed in the 1880s and is in a heritage overlay area. It was damaged by a fire in 2007 but remains externally intact.
Peter Lovell, of Lovell Chen Architects & Heritage Consultants, advised Council that while the fire had diminished the significance of the building, it had "not obliterated all significance". "Accordingly, demolition would have an unacceptably adverse impact on the relevant heritage place," Mr Lovell concluded. Here is the 
heritage advice (155.15kB) provided by Mr Lovell.
The Archdiocese has appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) against Council's refusal to issue a permit for the demolition. A hearing date has been set for 21 May 2012.
Background
The Archdiocese’s proposal was to demolish the majority of the Otter Street building but to retain the bell tower and a short length of wall to the south. The Archdiocese’s intention was to use this space for a playground for children who attend St Joseph's primary school.
In 2009, the Catholic Education Office applied to the Minister for Planning for permission to construct a new library on an existing playground on the site. The Catholic Education Office also asked the Minister to approve the demolition of the church building.
Council and the community were keen to see the church building retained. Council applied to Heritage Victoria for an interim protection order to be placed on the building, and for the building to be included on the State Heritage Register. Heritage Victoria declined both requests, noting that the Church building had been determined by several studies to be of local significance but a case had not been made that it was of state significance.
The Minister for Planning provided permission for the library to be constructed. However, the Minister did not approve the demolition of the church building, advising the Catholic Education Office that if it wished to pursue the demolition of the building, it must go through the normal planning process by making an application to Council.
Planning application documents
Here are the documents submitted by the Archdiocese as part of its permit application:
Plans (1.60MB)
Town planning report (498.24kB)
Assessment of heritage impacts (691.31kB)
Structural report (538.97kB)
Further information
John Theodosakis
Senior Statutory Planner
9205 5373
John.Theodosakis@yarracity.vic.gov.au
Back to top