Original post 7 March 2020
@peter.03 just sent me some pics of that house in #TheGroveCoburg, which is a clear case of #demolitionbyneglect; somebody has bothered to climb over it and remove all the tiles, and the whole verandah, since I saw it in April 2018. And the second photo is 2003, last time it sold, and last time occupied I guess. Renovations started, removing back wall and internal plaster, then nothing, except clearly some deliberate attempts to help it collapse – which might not have been the owner. The story is thats its #heritagelisted (contributory in The Grove precinct of nice houses, mostly bigger) and the owners can’t get a demo permit, so this happens – but that’s a very long game ! They may have died or moved or divorced, and so no one cares anymore. I reckon if it was sold, a new owner would get a demo permit, but it’s an illustration of how local councils in Vic have very little legal capacity to enforce even basic repairs of heritage buildings, and sometimes don’t care. Anyone know more ?
April 2018
7 Feb 2021
The famously collapsing house in #TheGroveCoburg, as it was in my pic April 2018, as it now from Age, and as it was in 2003 when the current owners bought it. Council have refused demolition yet again, not wanting to reward #demolitionbyneglect, but there’s not much left ! Clearly various things have been done to hasten the collapse, but most likely by vandals not the owners.
Storey of Melbourne 