# Forum Home Renovation Demolition  Demolition

## raymond j

I just found out that a house I do not own but have an emotional attachment to is to be demolished. Blah Blah your thinking.
I read the proposal submitted to the Brisbane City Council as it is in a DCP zone. Demolition Control Precinct. The ruling on this 1920's house is that it does not fit with the overall street appeal. 80% of the other houses were built in the 1940's for the returning WW2 soldiers. Most of the land in the street was owned by the Australian Army untill after WW2. 
In the application there is nothing about it being built in the 1920's. The current owners took very clever photo's showing some work they had done which has made it look like a house built post 1946. In the photo's its hard to tell that behind it is a queensland built by returning WW1 soldiers for WW1 soldiers as part of the resettlement scheme.
My conclusion is dont worry about DCP if in Brisbane it means jack. 
If your house is in a DCP zone just whack some second hand fibro on covering all the features, take some pics from across the street and the council will none the wiser. The company that put together the proposal did a great job. So anyone wanting to demolish a house and subdivide and build two houses thats how you do it. The is a quote from the Brisbane City Council site. *Demolition Code*The intent of the Demolition Code is to maintain the character of traditional pre-warstreetscapes by controlling demolition (full and partial), relocation and removal ofbuildings that contribute to the traditional character of the street or area.The Brisbane City Council will only approve the removal of a pre-war structure undercertain circumstances, these being:a) The building has been substantially altered and/or does not have theappearance of being constructed in or prior to 1946. 
That's the reason given for approval, does not have the appearance of being constructed prior to 1946. I'm hoping to stand out the front when it is demolished to see what happens when they uncover the underground concrete bomb shelter that my grandfather filled in with water and sewerage at the end of WW2.

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## amiaow

There was a similar house down the road from me that was heritage listed (1920s house in a 1950s suburb) and had to go through council for demolition approval. It was absolutely decrepid having not been lived in for 50 years!! They advertised the demolition in the local paper in order to receive submissions/objections (of which there were several). Fortunately this particular house has now been spared demolition and is to be rebuilt and restored to its former glory- I actually wonder if any of the original house fabric can be salvaged in this case. 
It's sad to see old houses go. You can keep an eye on similar applications in your suburb by entering your address into Email alerts of planning applications near you | PlanningAlerts and setting up an email alert. At least then if you feel the application is against the DCP regulations you have the opportunity to voice your concerns. Sorry to hear about it.

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## Black Cat

Yes, sadly once the decision has been made, unless you can demonstrate it is of State significance there is no room to move. The Council does have great DCPs but it depends on the planner as to whether the heritage team is given a chance to provide comment. Seems this time the planner decided off his/her own bat (it happens). 
If you really are concerned about the erosion of character in your area, then do as amiaow says, and monitor your local government's website, or the local paper's public notices. It is a constant frustration to me in my line of work that the general public is so apathetic about these things. Get a clever lawyer in the tribunal and you can lose your argument on social values because no-one bothered to make a submission. Despite the fifty people quietly crying into their beers as they see another part of their history disappear.

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