Heritage Victoria has just announced the approval of a new permit (granted on 12 August 2016) at Pentridge Prison for 38 townhouses at 19 Urquhart Street. The proposed development is located in the southern portion of the Pentridge site, which is owned by developers Future Estate, and is in the vicinity of a proposed 8-storey tower approved by Heritage Victoria in July, which in a parallel process was appealed at VCAT by the City of Moreland. 

Site plan – extract from Heritage Impact Statement prepared by Lovell Chen Architects & Heritage Consultants, May 2016

In June, the National Trust made a submission to Heritage Victoria regarding the proposed townhouse development. Concerns included the height of the proposed townhouses in the D Division exercise yard (which at three storeys exceeded the two-storeys specified in the Masterplan for the site), as well as the height of the remaining townhouses on the site, which would obscure views to the bluestone perimeter walls and D Division. Two new wall openings are also proposed, with the Trust questioning the consistency of the treatment of the openings in relation to other openings on the site. The Trust also raised Future Estate’s obligations to fulfil a covenant under the Heritage Act 1995 which requires the implementation of a management plan including conservation works to heritage infrastructure, and site interpretation including the establishment of a museum in D Division. Click here to download a copy of the management plan included in the covenant.

Some of these concerns have been addressed by Heritage Victoria in strict conditions attached to the permit, including a required reduction in height of townhouses located within the western exercise yard from three storeys to two, in line with the masterplan, and increased setbacks from the wall of the western exercise yard. Future Estate is also required to develop a scheme to interpret the “burial ground” immediately east of the D Division cell block within 12 months, and have completed the works within 24 months. Similarly, Future Estate is required to action the existing covenant with Heritage Victoria, including the preparation of an asset condition assessment and recommendations report, and a scheme for the museum. This documentation is required to be lodged within 12 months, with the work fully implemented within 24 months. Future Estate is also required to appoint a conservation architect to supervise works impacting heritage fabric.

The development is yet to receive a required planning permit from the City of Moreland however, with Council’s planning register indicating that a permit was lodged on 6 July 2016, and that further information has been requested from the applicant.