HERITAGE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

As city centres and suburban areas in Australia mature and evolve, more and more historic or traditional buildings and sites are being examined for new development. Heritage sites present unique opportunities to create distinctive development outcomes.

Architects and developers are increasingly willing to explore this potential. GBA Heritage has decades of experience in identifying and contributing to these opportunities, particularly if we join the project team before ideas are locked down. We bring a creative but responsible approach to this dynamic area of property development and asset management, seeking to ensure that projects ultimately achieve feasibility targets and development consent objectives.

When Mirvac won the right to redevelop the former Harold Park racecourse as a new high density residential precinct, they were faced with the challenge of integrating the historic former tram depot building which occupied a large part of the overall site.

GBA Heritage worked closely with Mirvac Projects to explore a range of development and re-use opportunities within the constraints of an earlier Conservation Management Plan.  The final re-use solution was to convert the building into a retail and service centre to serve the new and nearby residential communities.  Extensive upgrades were required to the steel framed saw-tooth roof and extensive landscaping was introduced to the forecourt. 

The Harold Park Tramsheds  project won the 2017 National Trust Heritage Award for Adaptive Re-use.

Selected project

Harold Park Urban Renewal Project / Former Rozelle Tram Depot – Ross Street, Forest Lodge | Architect: Mirvac | Photography: Simon Wood Photography