No.2 Meares Street, Guildford Heritage Impact Statement
Transcript of No.2 Meares Street, Guildford Heritage Impact Statement
ARCHITECTURE + HERITAGE
No.2 Meares Street, GuildfordHeritage Impact Statement
Prepared for Michaela TrlinNovember 2021 | Job No: L21-028
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Issue Date Status Prepared by Distribution1 12 November 2021 Final Dar Studio City of Swan
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Heritage Impact Statement | No.2 Meares Street, Guildford | November 2021
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Contents
1. Introduction 41.1 Purpose 4
1.2 Methodology 4
1.3 Subject Site 4
1.4 References 5
1.5 Author 5
2. Background Information 62.1 Heritage Listing 6
2.2 Statement of Significance 6
2.3 Physical Description 8
2.4 Brief History 9
3. Proposal 16
4. Heritage Impact Assessment 17
5. Conclusion 21
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1. Introduction
1.1 PurposeThis Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) has been prepared to form part of a Development Application to
the City of Swan for a new two-storey dwelling at No.2 Meares Street, Guildford. The proposal also
involves demolition of an existing 1960s dwelling on the site. The property is located within the
curtilage of Guildford Historic Town, which is recognised as a place of cultural heritage significance
through inclusion on the Heritage Council of Western Australia’s State Register of Heritage Places. As
such, the development is considered significant by the City due to demolition of the existing dwelling,
even though it is not individually listed through inclusion on the City of Swan’s Heritage List or Local
Heritage Survey (Municipal Inventory).
1.2 MethodologyThis HIS has been prepared to examine the potential for impact of the proposal on the cultural heritage
values of the Guildford Historic Town, as expressed in the Statements of Significance contained in the
State Register of Heritage Places. The HIS has been prepared in accordance with the requirements set
out in the ‘Heritage Impact Statement - A Guide’, published by the Heritage Council of Western
Australia.
This assessment has been made against the following architectural drawings prepared by Craig Smith
Architect, dated August 2021:
• A00 revD | Site Plan
• A01 revD | Ground Floor Plan
• A02 revD | First Floor Plan
• A03 revD | Elevations
• A04 revD | Elevations
• A05 revD | Shed
1.3 Subject SiteThe subject site is located at No.2 Meares Street, Guildford, which is a short street running north-south
from Swan Street West to Victoria Street West, with the Swan River to the north of the street. Refer to
figure 1 for location plan.
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1.4 ReferencesFor this assessment, reference has also been made to the following:
• Heritage Council of Western Australia, State Register of Heritage Places: Assessment
Documentation for P2915 Guildford Historic Town.
• Site visit undertaken in November 2021 to assess the existing house and immediate context.
1.5 AuthorPreparation of this document has been undertaken by:
• Nisar Dar | Heritage Architect | BA(Hons) BArch | Arch Reg: 2988.
GSPublisherVersion 0.0.100.100
N
SUBJECT SITE
NO.2 MEARES STREET
VICTORIA STREET
ME
AR
ES
ST
RE
ET
SWAN STREET WEST
MARKET S
TREET
SWAN RIVER
Figure 1. Location plan of subject site (base aerial map by Landgate, 2021).
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2. Background Information
2.1 Heritage ListingNo.2 Meares Street is included in the following statutory heritage list:
• Heritage Council of Western Australia State Register of Heritage Places: Guildford Historic Town
(Place no: P2915), registered 02 July 2019.
2.2 Statement of SignificanceThe Heritage Council of Western Australia have prepared the following statement of significance taken
from their Registered Entry for Guildford Historic Town:
Guildford Historic Town, established in 1829 on the confluence of the Swan and Helena Rivers on Whadjuk Noongar land whose people maintain a continuing cultural connection to the place, and comprising a central church square and a grid street pattern lined with mature street trees, a core of civic and commercial buildings with surrounding residential areas, and river front lots primarily developed in the Colonial, Convict, Gold Boom and Federation eras through to the Inter-War period, all encircled by openly wooded undeveloped riverine floodplain, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the highly authentic built fabric of the place illustrates at least five key periods in the State’s history, with simple Georgian buildings of the foundation of the Colony, brick public buildings of the Convict era, imposing and opulent buildings of the Gold Boom, and fine examples of residential and civic buildings of the Federation and Inter-War periods, all of which together form a cohesive precinct;
as one of three towns established in 1829 in the Swan River Colony, including the seaport (Fremantle) and the administrative centre (Perth), Guildford was central to the agricultural and horticultural development of the Colony, as the first (and only) inland port in Western Australia, providing an essential transport node, firstly by river and then by rail, linking the Colony’s seaport to the hinterland;
the place is an excellent representative example of a highly intact nineteenth-century town, designed on the regulated British colonial town planning model, that includes a purpose-designed public square containing the town’s main church, and which retains its original grid street layout aligned to cardinal points and its public reserves;
Heritage Impact Statement | No.2 Meares Street, Guildford | November 2021
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the place contains remnant long, narrow ribbon grants perpendicular to the banks of the Swan and Helena Rivers which are tangible evidence of agricultural land allocation envisioned by the founders of the Swan River Colony to provide each settler with access to water and the richer alluvial soils;
the town plan of the place is notable for incorporating one of the earliest purpose-designed public squares in Australia, and is rare for remaining clearly evident;
the place is unique in the metropolitan area for retaining a strong sense of being a distinct town, separate from the surrounding suburbs, as a result of its encirclement by the openly wooded, undeveloped riverine floodplain along the banks of the Swan and Helena Rivers;
much of the place’s character derives from its highly picturesque combination of low scale residential areas that have remained largely unchanged since the Inter-War period, and the variations between the wide streets with large lots, many with mature street trees and a variety of housing types from simple Colonial era cottages to the grander homes of the Gold Boom and Federation eras, and the narrower highly uniform streets of small- scale cottages on smaller lots;
the place has a high degree of potential to reveal archaeological evidence relating to the history and occupation of the area from its foundation to the early twentieth century, most notably for the early settlement period;
the place retains many original plantings, including a large number of mature Sugar Gums that were planted throughout Guildford from the late 1890s to early 1900s as part of a tree planting program, many of which comprise formal avenues;
the place is associated with many significant individuals, including Government officials, early pioneers and merchants, and well renowned Government and private architects; and,
the place is highly valued by the local and wider community, including the Whadjuk Noongar people who know it as Mandoon, and who maintain a continuing cultural connection to the place, members of the Swan Guildford Historical Society as evidenced by their work since 1962, and members of the Guildford Association since 1975, both of which were formed to preserve the history and character of the area, and by the classification of the place by the National Trust of Australia in 1984.
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2.3 Physical Description
Site and Setting
The following has been extracted from the Physical Description section of the State Register of
Heritage Places Assessment Documentation for Guildford Historic Town:
Meares Street is a short street running north-south from Swan Street West to Victoria Street West, with
the riverine floodplain and the Swan River to the north of the street. There is one double-storey late
twentieth-century dwelling on the western side of the street, and four houses on the east including a
unified row of three Inter-War timber, compressed fibre panel cottages with tiled roofs, displaying
characteristics of California Bungalow style at nos 6, 4, and 8.
Meares Street is narrow, with wide grassed verges and substantial verge trees on the western side of
the street giving it an open, rustic feel. The houses on the eastern side do not have front fences, whilst
the fences on the western side have rear and side fences in a variety of materials.
External
The existing property at No.2 Meares Street is a single-storey residence of brickwork masonry
construction with concrete tile roof of hipped profile configuration. It is of modest scale displaying no
features of any architectural note. The house is L-shaped in plan with a deep setback from the street
with front lawn, drive and ancillary carport structure. The roof overhangs to the front of the property to
form an under cover porch area. External walls are of buff colour brick in stretcher bond profile with
brickwork below floor level picked out in a dark grey colour. There is evidence of a suspended timber
floor construction internally, with sub-floor air vents below floor level. Bargeboards and fascias are
painted timber with overhanging eaves of exposed painted timber rafters. Rainwater goods consist of
steel quad profile gutters and circular steel down pipes. There are solar panels installed to the front
roof (west) and there is a tall chimney with flue to the north. Windows are of aluminium frame of varying
sizes. The rear of the property has a small verandah structure recessed into the roof configuration.
There is a brick paved yard and shed to the rear with a garden of various trees and plants extending
east towards to the boundary. From visual inspection, the house appears to be in a fair to poor
condition.
Internal
The property is a compact three bedroom and one bathroom house. Living areas consist of kitchen,
dining, living room and laundry. Circulation is via a hallway and small corridor to access the various
rooms. Finishes and fittings are characteristic of the age of the property, which typically include
plastered walls and ceilings, vinyl, tile and carpet floor finishes, and dark coloured joinery.
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Note: No internal access was available at the date of the site visit.
2.4 Brief HistoryThe following has been prepared by Clare Menck (Historian), dated August 2021:
Meares Street is marked as an updated pencil amendment to an 1842 map of Guildford, and by 1849
had been implemented. It was created by excising the eastern portion of the as-yet un-numbered
triangular lot along the east of Market Street, which by the 1870s was identified as 76A, and then 183.
Meares Street, was planned to go through to the river, and land for this length of road remains set
aside to this day, but it does not appear a roadway was ever developed north of Swan Street.
The subject property was built in 1966 and appears to be the only house historically constructed on
the site. Although imagery is unclear, aerial photography since this time notes no significant alterations
or extensions apart from the car port extension to the front, which appears to have been built in the
early 2000s. The existing outbuilding shed to the rear garden appears to have been built at the same
time as the house.
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Figure 2. View looking north along Meares Street. Note subject property obscured from view (DAR Studio, November 2021).
Figure 3. View looking south along Meares Street. Note subject property obscured from view (DAR Studio, November 2021).
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Figure 4. Steet view of subject property with adjacent houses either side (DAR Studio, November 2021).
Figure 5. Front view (west elevation) of subject property (DAR Studio, November 2021).
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Figure 6. Rear view (east elevation) of subject property (DAR Studio, November 2021).
Figure 7. Partial side view (north elevation) of subject property looking west along drive (DAR Studio, November 2021).
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Figure 8. Garden to rear of subject property with shed and mature tree (DAR Studio, November 2021).
Figure 9. Garden to rear of subject property (DAR Studio, November 2021).
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Figure 10. Internal view of bedroom (Professionals Wellstead Team, March 2020).
Figure 11. Internal view of living room (Professionals Wellstead Team, March 2020).
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Figure 12. Internal view of kitchen (Professionals Wellstead Team, March 2020).
Figure 13. Internal view of bedroom (Professionals Wellstead Team, March 2020).
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3. Proposal
The proposal involves demolition of the existing house on the site and the construction of a new
contemporary three bedroom family home with garage and outdoor amenity areas. The new house is a
combination of single and double-storey forms with gable ends set out along the narrow east-west
orientated block. The proposed wall materials are a composition of red face brick and standing seam
cladding. Roofs are pitched in standing seam cladding with pergola and terrace structures in timber
frame. The layout of the house focuses on the length of the block that places the main footprint along
the southern boundary to capture the northern sun and access natural light, which also aids cross-
ventilation. Amenity and function are embedded in the design so the house can adapt and respond to
the changing needs of family life.
The main entry to the proposed house is from the front porch facing the street that leads to a hall and
office on immediate arrival. A gallery space used for circulation with lots of natural light then leads
eastwards to a ground floor bedroom and laundry. From here, the floor plan leads to the main open
plan living areas with aspect to a garden to the east and outdoor terrace to the north. A staircase,
positioned roughly central to the plan leads to first floor level, which accommodates two bedrooms,
WC, bathroom and activities area. The circulation to these areas is to the south, which allows bedroom
windows to be orientated to the north.
The front street boundary is marked with masonry piers with infill fence and gates, with a small garden
behind making up the setback to the house. A double garage is also positioned to the front with a
pergola and driveway. Access at the rear of the garage leads to the outdoor areas and also internally
to the house. A proposed pool, shed and drying area makes up land towards the east boundary.
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4. Heritage Impact Assessment
The following tables provide an assessment of the heritage impact of the proposal on the cultural
heritage values of the place outlined in the Statement of Significance for Guildford Historic Town.
Heritage Values Potential Heritage Impact Mitigation of Heritage Impact
The highly authentic built fabric
of the place illustrates at least
five key periods in the State’s
history, with simple Georgian
buildings of the foundation of
the Colony, brick public
buildings of the Convict era,
imposing and opulent buildings
of the Gold Boom, and fine
examples of residential and
civic buildings of the Federation
and Inter-War periods, all of
which together form a cohesive
precinct.
Neutral / No Discernible Impact
The subject property is a 1960s
dwelling considered to be of no
architectural note that would be
characteristic of the five key
periods in the State’s history. As
such, it does not contribute to
the cohesive precinct, with its
demolition having no impact to
this value. The replacement
new dwelling is considered to
be a sympathetic contemporary
addition that would have no
more or less of an impact to
what currently exists on the site.
None.
As one of three towns
established in 1829 in the Swan
River Colony, including the
seaport (Fremantle) and the
administrative centre (Perth),
Guildford was central to the
agricultural and horticultural
development of the Colony, as
the first (and only) inland port in
Western Australia, providing an
essential transport node, firstly
by river and then by rail, linking
the Colony’s seaport to the
hinterland.
Neutral / No Discernible Impact
These are historic values
concerning the development of
Guildford, which will not be
impacted on by the proposal.
None.
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Heritage Values Potential Heritage Impact Mitigation of Heritage Impact
The place is an excellent
representative example of a
highly intact nineteenth-century
town, designed on the
regulated British colonial town
planning model, that includes a
purpose-designed public
square containing the town’s
main church, and which retains
its original grid street layout
aligned to cardinal points and
its public reserves.
Neutral / No Discernible Impact
The proposal is contained
within the existing lot, and as
such does not impact on the
physical qualities of the British
colonial town planning model.
The street layout and public
reserve are all retained and
unaltered.
None.
The place contains remnant
long, narrow ribbon grants
perpendicular to the banks of
the Swan and Helena Rivers
which are tangible evidence of
agricultural land allocation
envisioned by the founders of
the Swan River Colony to
provide each settler with access
to water and the richer alluvial
soils.
Neutral / No Discernible Impact
The proposal is contained
within the existing lot, and as
such does not impact on this
heritage value. The remnant
ribbon grants are all retained
and unaltered.
None.
The town plan of the place is
notable for incorporating one of
the earliest purpose-designed
public squares in Australia, and
is rare for remaining clearly
evident.
Neutral / No Discernible Impact
The proposal is contained
within the existing lot, and as
such does not impact on this
heritage value. The public
square is retained and
unaltered.
None.
The place is unique in the
metropolitan area for retaining a
strong sense of being a distinct
town, separate from the
surrounding suburbs, as a
result of its encirclement by the
openly wooded, undeveloped
riverine floodplain along the
banks of the Swan and Helena
Rivers.
Neutral / No Discernible Impact
The proposal is contained
within the existing lot, and as
such does not impact on this
heritage value. The riverine
floodplain is retained and
unaltered.
None.
Heritage Impact Statement | No.2 Meares Street, Guildford | November 2021
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Heritage Values Potential Heritage Impact Mitigation of Heritage Impact
Much of the place’s character
derives from its highly
picturesque combination of low
scale residential areas that have
remained largely unchanged
since the Inter-War period, and
the variations between the wide
streets with large lots, many
with mature street trees and a
variety of housing types from
simple Colonial era cottages to
the grander homes of the Gold
Boom and Federation eras, and
the narrower highly uniform
streets of small- scale cottages
on smaller lots.
Minor Impact
With the proposal being partially
two-storey in lieu of the current
single-storey house, this will
have a minor impact on the
change of built presence to the
site due to the increase in
height. However, the proposal is
still considered to be modest in
scale and in overall keeping
with the built form and scale of
the town. The site will still
contribute to the streetscape,
and complement the existing
surroundings of large verges,
mature trees, and the low
residential character of the area.
The level of impact is
considered acceptable.
The design of the new dwelling
helps to mitigate this impact
through maintaining a setback
to the street boundary, and the
two-storey component being
setback even further. The
two-storey component is also
orientated along its length on an
east-west axis that also helps
to mitigate impact to the street.
In addition, the combination of
roof forms, change in height
and materiality, generally all help
to reduce the scale and mass
of the proposal as a whole.
The place has a high degree of
potential to reveal
archaeological evidence relating
to the history and occupation of
the area from its foundation to
the early twentieth century,
most notably for the early
settlement period.
Minor Impact
With the site previously being
developed, the impact on this
value is considered very low.
If any notable archaeological
artefacts are discovered during
the works, it is recommended
that these are reported to the
City of Swan for their
assessment to determine any
further action.
The place retains many original
plantings, including a large
number of mature Sugar Gums
that were planted throughout
Guildford from the late 1890s to
early 1900s as part of a tree
planting program, many of
which comprise formal
avenues.
Neutral / No Discernible Impact
These are no significant
plantings being removed as part
of this proposal, and as such
will have no impact on this
heritage value.
None.
The place is associated with
many significant individuals,
including Government officials,
early pioneers and merchants,
and well renowned Government
and private architects.
Neutral / No Discernible Impact
These are historic values which
will not be impacted by the
proposal.
None.
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Heritage Values Potential Heritage Impact Mitigation of Heritage Impact
The place is highly valued by
the local and wider community,
including the Whadjuk Noongar
people who know it as
Mandoon, and who maintain a
continuing cultural connection
to the place, members of the
Swan Guildford Historical
Society as evidenced by their
work since 1962, and members
of the Guildford Association
since 1975, both of which were
formed to preserve the history
and character of the area, and
by the classification of the place
by the National Trust of
Australia in 1984.
Neutral / No Discernible Impact
The proposal does not impact
on the ability for the local and
wider community to appreciate
the broader cultural heritage
values of the town.
None.
Heritage Impact Statement | No.2 Meares Street, Guildford | November 2021
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5. Conclusion
This assessment concludes that the proposal will potentially have a very minor level of heritage impact
on the cultural heritage values of Guildford Historic Town’s characteristic of being a highly picturesque
combination of low scale residential areas. There are no impacts on the place’s historic values, and
due to the proposal being contained within an existing residential lot, there will be no impact on the
wider tangible heritage values of the town.
Through a considered design approach of modest intervention to its context, the potential impact of
the proposal is considered acceptable. The existing dwelling on the site is deemed to be of no heritage
value, and as such its demolition is of no discernible impact. The increase in built form of the
replacement dwelling is considered to be adequately mitigated through setbacks, materiality, and
composition of its built form. Although the proposal is higher in parts to what currently exists, it is not
too dissimilar to the scale of adjacent properties that are in close proximity. The new house will
continue to have a street presence that complements, and does not detract from the overall character
of the area.