FREMANTLE city council is offering to spend more than $6 million to restore Henderson Street’s historic warders’ cottages, if it can score a long-term lease from the WA housing department.

Mayor Brad Pettitt says the council is willing to take the lead role to ensure WA’s oldest terraced housing remains in public hands.

The mayor says the council plans to borrow funds to restore the dilapidated, convict-built cottages, with a 20- to 50-year business plan ensuring ratepayers’ money is recouped.

“I can’t say too much now but the offer is on the table,” Dr Pettitt told the Herald. “Ultimately, council is willing to take a lead role in their restoration.”

Heritage expert John Dowson says whomever takes on the work must understand there is little room to move: “They are important but fragile and primitive dwellings which can never be ordinary family housing or low-cost or medium-cost residential long-term accommodation,” the former deputy mayor says.

“There would have to be too many damaging changes to meet building regulations. They need to be specialist heritage accommodation.”

Mr Dowson says even with high nightly or weekly rents it is difficult to see anyone making enough money to cover repairs and ongoing maintenance.

by CARMELO AMALFI