The former Rootes car factory is set to be demolished and the site redeveloped for townhouses. There is currently no heritage overlay on the building, which is historically significant for its associations with its respective occupation by the Department of Munitions, the Department of Aircraft Productions and then the car manufacturer Rootes Ltd.
Constructed in 1941 the earliest part of the building is potentially of state level significance for its associations with the Commonwealth government’s secret tank research and development program.
We have asked the Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne, to apply an interim heritage control. We support retention of the administration building and a representative section of the former factory building.
Read the full report at TrustAdvocate
Report in The Age: Fishermans Bend’s ‘top secret’ World War II tank program
