THE Fremantle Society is pushing back against a proposed development in the West End heritage precinct that would see two floors of apartments added to the old Genesis Travel building on the corner of Phillimore and Packenham Streets.
Society president John Dowson said he’s disappointed by the proposal from developer Fini Group, saying he’d been looking forward to seeing it operating in Fremantle after making several high-profile investments in the city such as the P&O Hotel and the old Roma restaurant building.
“It was exciting a couple of years ago to hear that high quality developers like Adrian Fini and Hesperia were buying properties in Fremantle and working with talented architects like Michael Patroni,” Mr Dowson said.“The Fremantle Society is hoping Messrs Fini and Patroni will not only follow council policies that aim to protect the hard-won heritage values, in particular in the internationally famous West End, but given JDAP’s propensity to give developers whatever they want, that they will also follow the intent of the policies.
“A basic premise is that new additions to significant heritage buildings in the homogenous West End should not be seen from the street.”
But in its development report, Fini says the development will be a “sophisticated, and contemporary reinvigoration of an important heritage building.
• Hesperia’s plans for the Robert Harper Building, known more recently as the Genesis Travel building, with swish apartments above, which has upset the Fremantle Society.
Revitalisation
“The lodgement of this development application represents the revitalisation of the former Robert Harper Building, which was constructed in the 1920s and is a stalwart on the prominent West End corner of Phillimore and Pakenham Street.
“The proposal aims to reinvigorate this iconic landmark by celebrating its rich history and Fremantle’s unique culture, while also delivering contemporary office workspaces and residential homes to attract residents and tier one office tenants to the west end that will enliven the area day and night, weekday and weekend for years to come.
This application will respectfully restore the former Robert Harper Building to be more aligned with its original façade through the removal of intrusive paint, and 1950’s alterations to restore the original brick and mortar fabric of the building.”
The report notes that the apartments will be lower than the artwork that adorns the front of the Quest hotel, though Mr Dowson said that was not a great precedent to cite, given the artwork breached the planning guidelines and too much of the original building’s fabric was destroyed to create the apartment.
“49 Phillimore Street is the landmark 1920s Robert Harper building curving elegantly from Phillimore into Pakenham Street,” Mr Dowson said.
“Its corner position opposite the quay and Pioneer Park make it an especially visible and sensitive site of high significance.
“While this application has many high quality features, and while it is presented by eminent architects and owners, it fails spectacularly in two key areas – by seeking to build four highly visible apartments on top of a heritage building, and removing masonry façade and replacing it with large glass panels.
“Where I live in the West End I can’t even erect a TV aerial that is visible from the street. “These four large, 150sqm new apartments are a massive overreach.
“The public need to stand up for the West End, otherwise its overall integrity will disappear by engendering other similar proposals.”
On Wednesday Fremantle council voted to recommend JDAP approve the development, a decision Mr Dowson described as “devastating”.