When Barry Anstee bought the historic Mittagong Maltings site back in 2000, he had grand plans for it’s restoration – a winery and brewery in malthouse two, an antique marketplace in malthouse one, and a hotel for malthouse three.
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Almost two decades later, long grass licks the sides of the dilapidated malthouses that sit in a state of disrepair on the 6.5 hectare property.
In 2000, the National Trust of Australia listed the 120-year old former Tooth & Co brewery among its ‘endangered places of 2000’ because of its deterioration.
But having recently been nominated for state heritage significance by Highlander Phillip Brammer, who wants to see the site restored for public use, the future of the Maltings may be about to change.
The Maltings is currently under consideration for a state heritage listing – an upgrade from its current local listing – which the NSW Heritage Council indicates may enable reformation.
“Australian heritage places are not inflexibly bound or ‘mothballed’ by listing,” the council’s website states.
“Listing will not stop all change or freeze a place in time.
“Statutory listing protects our state’s heritage places in three basic ways: recognition, approvals and support.”
But current owner Mr Anstee said he believed there were numerous issues preventing the Maltings from being restored for “adaptive reuse” – among them, difficulty with access, flooding levels and zoning.
The site is currently zoned R2 – low density residential – but Mr Anstee wants it to be upgraded to an R3 – medium density residential – so as to allow a profit to be made from its restoration.
He said his submission to the Heritage Council would focus on this concern.
“The Heritage Council falls under the division of the Department of Planning and I want them - if they wish to impose heritage on the site - to also move to create a zoning that is compatible with the adaptive reuse of the buildings,” Mr Anstee said.
Although the NSW Heritage Council said they could not comment on the specific Maltings site until it was actually approved for listing, it highlighted that a state heritage listing “does not oblige owners to restore or open their place to the public” and that “owners can apply for heritage grants” in order to restore their properties.
The NSW Heritage Council is seeking public feedback on the nomination until February 6.
