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Projects > projects > hilton heritage
Heritage in Hilton
In this presentation I will:
explain what municipal inventory is about;
- explain why and how Hilton was listed;
- explain the policy for Hilton and what it means;
- demonstrate this on examples of recent developments;
- explain how to delete/add places to MHI;
- suggest where we go from here.
WHAT IS MUNICIPAL HERITAGE INVENTORY (MHI) ?
list of places which, in opinion of the City are, or may become of cultural heritage significance;
under Heritage of Western Australia Act all municipalities should establish MHIs.
HOW WAS HILTON LISTED ON THE MHI ?
In 1992 Hilton was listed as an area (precinct) by a process of researching, assessing and considering:
ITS HISTORY
It was an intact surviving State Housing Commission’s estate of Hilton Park built in 1950 -1965 on principles of the garden suburb or.‘residential park’;
ITS IDENTITY AND ATTRACTIVENESS
40% of the subdivision was made available for public use and community facilities and all houses were sited on the quarter acre residential lots creating a distinct setting for private land and houses of Hilton;
ITS CHARACTER
the surviving assemblage of original houses together with the environment represent a high degree of unity and integration of natural and built areas, which collectively create a sense of place and enhance the area’s garden suburb character.
WHY HILTON HAS BEEN LISTED ON MHI AS AN AREA (PRECINCT)
It has been meticulously planned and built as a complete estate of single family detached dwellings, at low density, framed by foliage; trees, shrubs, lawns, private and public gardens merging into a park-like environment;
individual elements may be of only minor heritage value, but collectively these elements are essential to form and maintain the ‘residential park’ attraction and a garden suburb character of the area.
WHAT ARE THOSE ELEMENTS?
Semicircular street layout radiating from a large recreational park and school, and a centrally located community amenities such as recreation reserves, community hall and children health centre, playgrounds and shops. [Arial Photo - Hilton]TOWNSCAPE OF HILTON PARK
Street network, residential blocks and dwellings integrated with the undulated landscape and streets aligned with the purposely planted selection of the ‘theme’ and native trees...
Wide verges and generous provision of public areas for recreation, children play grounds and schools...
STREETSCAPES OF HILTON
Purposefully central siting of the houses on large lots with generous front and side setbacks which facilitated garden space all around houses and the visual effect of ‘immersing’ the houses in an abundant greenery. [Photo - Streetscape] [Photo - Streetscape 2]Curved streets to slow vehicular traffic and encourage walking; footpaths framed by generous verges and the private, open front gardens; all adding to the amenity of living in a residential park.
HOUSES OF HILTON
Early in 1950s the State Housing Commission appointed firm of architects to initially design four types of plans for two and three bedroom residences.
There were 681 houses built in Hilton in 1954/55 by the State Housing Commission in accordance with the architect’s design of housing styles.
(Kristy Bizzaca, thematic History of Hilton, 2002)
Aesthetic aspects were part of the architect’s brief, including “siting, colour treatment, use of different materials … in the interest of creating attractive housing neighbourhoods.”
In addition, to ease local demand for housing, 450 timber framed houses were imported to WA in 1951 from London and Austria and a number of these homes were erected in Hilton Park with assistance from Austrian tradesmen.
Heritage assessment concluded that while individually the original houses built in the area are not significant, collectively, due to the unity of design, materials and styles and uniformity of their settings, these houses create visual cohesion and harmony of Hilton streetscapes.
DEVELOPMENT OF HILTON
In 1994 City of Fremantle adopted Hilton Development Policy and Urban Design Guidelines to inform and guide redevelopment of Hilton.
Generally speaking the policy recognises potential for redevelopment in the area and seeks to facilitate a compatible, harmonious development by:
DEVELOPMENTS WHICH THE POLICY SUPPORTS AS BEING ‘COMPATIBLE’ (what people can, are encouraged to do):
Conservation (maintenance, restoration, upgrading) of the existing suburb’s environment including its distinct landscape, streetscapes and houses. [Photo - House in Hilton]Subdivision of existing block and construction of an additional unit(s) while upgrading, extending, adding to the existing house and its site context
Demolitions are not encouraged but are not prohibited by the policy. Where demolition is justifiable the supported option includes a replacement of single house with a single house of comparable or better quality which adds to the streetscape character and maintains/improves its amenity.
DEVELOPMENTS WHICH THE POLICY SUPPORTS AS HAVING POTENTIAL TO BE ‘COMPATIBLE’ (what people can do):
Re-subdivision of a number of existing lots and redevelopment of the amalgamated site for a compatible housing development, i.e. that which retains and complements the existing streetscape and residential park amenity of the area.
The feedback tells us that what residents like about Hilton are the same qualities which we are trying to protect through the policy guidelines.
The policy does not require retention of asbestos cladding or existing houses at all cost, but attempts to ensure that replacements are sympathetic.
Since the 1992 heritage listing and the 1994 adoption of the policy for Hilton a number of developments occurred.
It is worth looking back at the last decade and evaluate:
- Has the policy been adhered to?
- Has the re-development worked as planned?
- Has the development of Hilton to date added to/enhanced its identified qualities?
we think that there are mixed results
IMPACT OF HILTON DEVELOPMENTS ON ITS MHI HERITAGE LISTING
All developments which involve:
- maintenance/upgrading of original houses;
- compatible extensions/additions to original houses
- maintenance/upgrading of existing gardens;
- are supported by the policy as being ‘compatible’ developments which maintain/upgrade residential
- garden suburb character of the area.
Is changing the heritage listing of Hilton alone, an answer?
IMPACT OF HILTON DEVELOPMENTS ON ITS MHI HERITAGE LISTING
All developments which involve:
- demolitions;
- new development of higher density, and;
- clearance of mature trees and vegetation
- impact on cultural heritage values of Hilton by incrementally eroding its residential park amenity and garden suburb character.
what can we do?
Is changing the listing of Hilton alone, an answer?
ADDING /DELETION FROM MUNICIPAL HERITAGE INVENTORY
- request/proposal to add/delete a place is submitted to Council together with heritage re-assessment report;
- outcome of the report(s) is presented to Council on annual basis;
- notice in local paper invites community comment, notification sent to owners and occupiers;
- assessment of submissions, consideration of amendments to the listing is presented to Council;
- Council decides to adopt the proposed amendments with or without modifications to MHI.
WHERE FROM HERE?
Review the Hilton heritage study and policy
Feedback from the Hilton community survey and the message from this meeting will help with review of heritage listing for Hilton and the subsequent review of the planning policy;
The review will involve public consultation including notifications to individual owners and occupiers as per the current Council consultation policy.
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