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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/27/developers-who-demolished-historic-melbourne-pub-may-have-to-rebuild-it
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Developers who demolished historic Melbourne pub 'promise to rebuild it' | Developers who demolished historic Melbourne pub 'promise to rebuild it' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Developers who illegally demolished a historic Melbourne pub have reportedly promised to rebuild it, blaming among other things the weather forecast for their decision to raze the 159-year-old Corkman Irish Pub. | |
| The Victorian government and City of Melbourne launched action against the developers Stefce Kutlesovski and Raman Shaqiri after the Carlton pub was knocked down without a permit 11 days ago. | The Victorian government and City of Melbourne launched action against the developers Stefce Kutlesovski and Raman Shaqiri after the Carlton pub was knocked down without a permit 11 days ago. |
| But The Age reported on Thursday night that the pair had written to the government saying they were sorry for knocking the building down without warning. | But The Age reported on Thursday night that the pair had written to the government saying they were sorry for knocking the building down without warning. |
| “We want to make absolutely clear that we will rebuild the building at our expense,” the pair reportedly said in their letter. | “We want to make absolutely clear that we will rebuild the building at our expense,” the pair reportedly said in their letter. |
| The developers say they ignored the rules because of a combination of “legal advice, engineering advice, weather forecast and injury litigation”. | The developers say they ignored the rules because of a combination of “legal advice, engineering advice, weather forecast and injury litigation”. |
| They also conceded another project they had been involved with had a wall collapse that injured a pedestrian, the newspaper reports. | They also conceded another project they had been involved with had a wall collapse that injured a pedestrian, the newspaper reports. |
| Earlier in the day, the Andrews government began legal action to force them to rebuild it in heritage style. It also implemented a planning restriction to prevent it being replaced by anything taller than two storeys for the next two years. | Earlier in the day, the Andrews government began legal action to force them to rebuild it in heritage style. It also implemented a planning restriction to prevent it being replaced by anything taller than two storeys for the next two years. |
| The pub was knocked down without approval by the developers who reportedly intended to build apartments on the inner-city site. | The pub was knocked down without approval by the developers who reportedly intended to build apartments on the inner-city site. |
| State and local governments have since launched legal action against the pair in the Victorian civil and administrative tribunal seeking orders that the pub be rebuilt in line with its original design, scale and layout. | State and local governments have since launched legal action against the pair in the Victorian civil and administrative tribunal seeking orders that the pub be rebuilt in line with its original design, scale and layout. |
| The planning minister, Richard Wynne, said the height restriction imposed by the new planning overlay would allow the city of Melbourne time to involve the community in deciding what should be built on the site. | The planning minister, Richard Wynne, said the height restriction imposed by the new planning overlay would allow the city of Melbourne time to involve the community in deciding what should be built on the site. |
| “While these cowboy developers thumbed their noses at Victoria’s building and planning laws, we are sending a clear message that wilful and illegal destruction of our heritage will not be tolerated,” Wynne said. | “While these cowboy developers thumbed their noses at Victoria’s building and planning laws, we are sending a clear message that wilful and illegal destruction of our heritage will not be tolerated,” Wynne said. |
| The Corkman, previously known as the Carlton Inn, was built in 1857 and had been assessed by the state government as having significant heritage values. | The Corkman, previously known as the Carlton Inn, was built in 1857 and had been assessed by the state government as having significant heritage values. |
| It was bought by Kutlesovski and Shaqiri for $4.7m in 2014. With the building demolished the site could be worth $10m, Wynne said. | It was bought by Kutlesovski and Shaqiri for $4.7m in 2014. With the building demolished the site could be worth $10m, Wynne said. |
| Existing penalties for destroying heritage properties are capped at $200,000, a cost Wynne said could be written into the overall costs for a multimillion-dollar residential development. | Existing penalties for destroying heritage properties are capped at $200,000, a cost Wynne said could be written into the overall costs for a multimillion-dollar residential development. |
| The government has promised to look at increasing those penalties. | The government has promised to look at increasing those penalties. |
| Melbourne’s lord mayor, Robert Doyle, said the proposed measures would prevent developers from benefiting from the unlawful demolition. | Melbourne’s lord mayor, Robert Doyle, said the proposed measures would prevent developers from benefiting from the unlawful demolition. |
| “We can’t get the original Carlton Inn back but we can support legal action to require restitution of the building and amendment of the planning scheme to put strict controls on any future development of the site,” he said. | “We can’t get the original Carlton Inn back but we can support legal action to require restitution of the building and amendment of the planning scheme to put strict controls on any future development of the site,” he said. |
| The demolition crew moved in seven days after police were called to a suspicious fire at the building and the demolition continued despite a stopwork order issued by the council. | The demolition crew moved in seven days after police were called to a suspicious fire at the building and the demolition continued despite a stopwork order issued by the council. |
| The developers are being investigated by the Victorian Building Authority and the city of Melbourne for breaching several planning and building laws, which could amount to substantial fines. | The developers are being investigated by the Victorian Building Authority and the city of Melbourne for breaching several planning and building laws, which could amount to substantial fines. |
| They are also being investigated by the Environment Protection Authority on claims they unlawfully dumped asbestos from the site, as well as by Heritage Victoria and Worksafe. | They are also being investigated by the Environment Protection Authority on claims they unlawfully dumped asbestos from the site, as well as by Heritage Victoria and Worksafe. |
| The union representing construction workers has also issued a green ban preventing any of its members from working on the site unless it is on a reconstruction of the original building, or other community-approved solution. | The union representing construction workers has also issued a green ban preventing any of its members from working on the site unless it is on a reconstruction of the original building, or other community-approved solution. |