Norman House deemed to ‘not warrant assessment’ by Heritage Council amid fight to prevent potential demolition

An application to add Albany’s Norman House to the State Heritage List has been knocked back for the second time in two decades. The Heritage Council of WA deemed the building “does not warrant assessment” late last month — the same decision heritage councillors reached in September 2004. The application was made after plans for its demolition to make way for a mixed-housing development were published for public comment in September. Those opposed hope that its possible inclusion on the list would prevent its demolition and open the door to further funding options to help restore it. A letter sent out by the council last week states Norman House and Cheyne’s Stables were “unlikely to have the cultural heritage significance required to meet the condition for entry in the State Register”. It states the buildings, and their associated trees, “may have some cultural significance” but that it did not warrant full assessment as “it unlikely” to meet the requirements laid out in section 38 of the Heritage Act 2018. A 12-page preliminary assessment attached to the letter notes that Norman House has historic value based on its links to notable Albany families and is a rare example of a two-storey building in its style. The assessment also states that the house is an example of a building adapted for different uses and one that has been continuously used for more than 157 years. It also lists several buildings exemplifying similar qualities or historical importance that are already on the register. The development application, which the Regional Joint Development Panel will assess next year, is for the construction of 25 dwellings between Frederick Street and Stirling Terrace. Norman House was built in the 1850s before undergoing significant 20th-century renovations. Its demolition would make way for the construction of a six-unit apartment building. Adopted in 2020, the City of Albany heritage list described Norman House and its magnolia tree as having “considerable” significance while Cheyne’s Stables, outbuilding and oak tree are “exceptional”. Only Norman House is proposed for demolition as part of the development application. Heritage Act 2018 38. Factors relevant to cultural heritage significance (1) In determining whether a place has cultural heritage significance the council must have regard to the following: (2) A place may have cultural heritage significance despite lacking physical material that substantially contributes to its cultural heritage significance.