SAVE WILLIAMSTOWN
SAVE WILLIAMSTOWN
Gas leak at Williamstown’s Oriental Hotel worries Evolve’s critics
HOBSONS BAY LEADER
NATALIE FILMER JANUARY 21, 2015
Developers have started knocking down Williamstown's historic Oriental Hotel after lengthy battle by residents to save it.
“A GAS leak during the demolition of Williamstown’s historic Oriental Hotel has added to the anger and disappointment of residents who fought to stop the Nelson Place development.
Evolve Developments chief executive Ashley Williams confirmed a demolition contractor nicked a previously unknown gas pipe on January 13, but it was soon made safe.
However, Save Williamstown community group spokesman Godfrey Moase said the gas leak was just another display of “insensitivity” by the developer.
“It doesn’t bode well if that’s the sort of standard of work that is being undertaken, Mr Moase said.
“(The demolition) is an act of unnecessary vandalism. We are losing an original piece of Williamstown that we’ll never be able to recover.”
Mr Moase said the developer had hurriedly knocked down the derelict 150-year-old building to “create a sense of inevitability” among those who had argued against the development.
“We are devastated but the community scored some big wins in the last few months of 2014,” he said.
“We won a process to change the development rules to the 60 per cent of the site which has not yet gone before VCAT, and we have won an inquiry into development and major hazard facilities which will impact on the viability of the remaining 40 per cent of the site.”
Mr Williams said Evolve Developments would take part in any inquiry but much of the construction had already been approved.
He said construction of seven townhouses and 83 apartments in a six-storey block would begin in May and take about 15 months.
An archaeological assessment of the site was being made and a report would be given to Heritage Victoria, Mr Williams said.......”
Wednesday, 21 January 2015