By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
IT CAN almost be called an antique; this sentimental icon of Hampton Park faces demolition.
The Hampton Park Old School House may be destroyed as soon as October, unless a new, suitable home is found.
In the Casey council planning scheme, the school house is covered by a heritage overlay.
However, that listing is rendered futile due to the house’s location, on school grounds, at Hampton Park Primary School (HPPS).
Strategic Planning and Environment manager at the City of Casey Nicola Ward advised due to its heritage listing, typically the house would “require a permit from council for its demolition”.
But this is “not the case for government schools as all Department of Education land is exempt from the requirements of planning schemes”.
Ms Ward said, “despite council having no statutory ability to prevent the demolition of the building, we are proactively working with the HPPS to seek more appropriate solutions”.
Such solutions include relocation of the school house, built in 1922, with possibilities stretching as far as Berwick, at the Old Cheese Factory.
But Ms Ward said, “discussions regarding this are in their early stages and no decisions have been made”.
A Facebook campaign- to try and save the piece of history from bulldozers- launched late last year, already has more than 500 supporters.
The house has sat at 32 Somerville Road since it opened, and is now in limbo due to HPPS’s $5.7million redevelopment.
Government funds delivered over two years means the school can replace portable classrooms with eight permanent ones.
HPPS principal of five years Leoni King says the current location of the school house impacts the school’s new design.
“We looked at relocating it on school grounds, but the way the grounds are situated makes it very difficult to do that because it would be taking up playground space,” Ms King said.
“And it means that the rest of community can’t use it during the day.”
Possible places for relocation are Margery Eastick Reserve and Cairns Road Recreation Reserve among others.
The young Hampton Park Men’s Shed has also approached council with their interest.
To support the social media campaign to save the historic house built by Rob Jant visit: ‘SAVE Hampton Park Primary School’s Old School House’ on Facebook.
