Rockingham Council vote saves Saw home

The City of Rockingham’s decision to reject an application to demolish a historic home has been welcomed by local heritage enthusiasts. Two months ago, the Sound Telegraph first reported that the owners of Lucy Saw Cottage, since 2003, had put in a demolition proposal for the heritage place at 65 Parkin Street, Rockingham. The proposal cited the 1921 structure’s “high state of disrepair”. But the City’s engineering report found the original building had been “marred” by recent additions, but was structurally “sound”. At its April 28 meeting, council voted unanimously to refuse the application. Council also voted to direct the chief executive to start discussions with the property owner on the urgent conservation works required to conserve the building and supported a heritage conservation notice being investigated to require the owner to undertake urgent conservation works, subject to the outcomes of discussions. Rockingham Museum curator Wendy Durant campaigned to preserve the home and said she was “delighted” at the vote. “It’s such an important part of Rockingham’s history,” she said. Ms Durant would like the City to monitor the conditions of heritage buildings and prevent them from falling into a state of disrepair.