Press - pre - 2007
The POST Newspaper – 11 September 2004
Clamp on The Cliffe
A move by Heritage Minister Tom Stephens has ended the lengthy legal fight over the historic Peppermint Grove residence, The Cliffe, between its owners and the Heritage Council.
Mr Stephens has issued a conservation order, stopping The Cliffe’s owner, Sharon Creasy, or her husband Mark from gaining a demolition licence.
Stephen Carrick, The Heritage Council’s assistant director, said The Cliffe was in danger because the owners had applied to the Shire of Peppermint Grove for a demolition licence, which the shire had supported in July.
“The Heritage Council therefore concluded that protection under the act was warranted,” Mr Carrick said.
The POST Newspaper – 5 June 2004
Struggle to demolish The Cliffe
The owners of The Cliffe will have to convince the Heritage Council that the 106-year-old Peppermint Grove house needs to be struck off the register in order to demolish it.
It’s the last port of call for Mark and Sharon Creasy, who have failed twice to get a demolition application approved.
At its March meeting, Peppermint Grove Shire Council refused an application from Mark and Sharon Creasy to demolish the heritage protected house.
The Creasys met the shire at a directions hearing at the Town Planning Scheme Appeal Tribunal on Friday, May 28, where the shire was asked to “reassess” its decision.
At the May council meeting, shire president Ian Wallace and councillors agreed the council could not change its position on the house, based on the advice of the Heritage Act, despite being sympathetic to the applicant.
Councillor Peter Bacich said: “It’s their property; if they want to knock it down then they should be able to knock it down.”
The Cliffe, named for its river views over the Devil’s Elbow on Bindaring Parade, was built in 1898 by war hero and architect Talbot Hobbs.
Talbot Hobbs also built The Bungalow, which once stood on Warren Anderson’s superblock.
The Cliffe building and 4777sq.m property had an interim listing as a cultural precinct in 1995 with the State Register of Heritage Places.
It was confirmed on the register, in the highest possible bracket of heritage properties, on February 27 this year.
The house is recognised as a cultural precinct for its showcase of jarrah in all 30 rooms and has the top heritage rating that states it cannot be demolished unless there is no other “feasible or prudent alternative”.
A recent survey made by the shire town planner, Terry Mayor, found it to be a habitable residence.
When the Creasys bought it eight years ago they tried to give the house to the shire, to be relocated to Manners Hill Park and preserved.
The shire rejected it because of the cost of maintaining it was too high and because as a registered cultural precinct, the house must remain on its original land.
The shire has approved several redevelopment applications for the property, including extensions to the house and a separate construction on the land.
In 2001, the Heritage Council supported in principle the application to demolish the water tower, stables and north wing extension for the construction of a new north wing and stables.
The Heritage Council said: “By today’s standards, The Cliffe is a huge family home in a good location.
“It allows for plenty of opportunities to refurbish it to a modern standard while conserving the building.”
But no changes have been made to the building.
A spokesperson for the Creasys said the family was frustrated because it could not develop a modern homestead style house on the property or subdivide the land.
He said the family refused to live in the house because it was not up to modern living standards and any offset in rates used to maintain heritage buildings was not paid to the Creasys.
Mr and Mrs Creasy live in Mosman Park and their son lives at The Cliffe during summer.
