PETERSVILLE FACTORY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
254-294 WELLINGTON ROAD MULGRAVE, MONASH CITY
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Statement of Significance
The Petersville Factory Administration Building including the Administration Wing and Rear Wings (exterior and interiors). The setting of the building, with its generous setback from Wellington Road, curved driveway and surrounding landscape are also significant. Significant interiors include the Administration Wing's entry foyer and mezzanine gallery and their original elements including timber-lined ceiling, striped terrazzo flooring, timber panelled walls and floating staircase.
How is it significant?The Petersville Factory Administration Building is of historical significance to the State of Victoria. It satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register:
Criterion A
Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria's cultural history.
Criterion D
Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects.
Why is it significant?The Petersville Factory Administration Building is significant at the State level for the following reasons:
The Petersville Factory Administration Building is historically significant for its association with the growth of manufacturing in the 1950s and 1960s and the spread of manufacturing to the suburbs. The association is evident in the building's overall form, with architecturally distinctive street frontage and more utilitarian buildings to the rear. The Administration Wing was designed to both announce an extensive manufacturing complex and reflect the corporate identity of Peters Ice Cream - a major food manufacturer. Its prominent siting alongside a major road, landscape setting and distinctive design features denote the growth and prestige of large manufacturers during the era. The rear wings contribute to an understanding of the size and requirements of workforces at a time when factories were relocating to new locations which were further from workers' homes. [Criterion A]
The Petersville Factory Administration Building is significant as a notable example of a post-war factory administration building. It demonstrates the characteristics of the class, including architecturally distinctive street frontage and more utilitarian buildings to the rear. The interaction of the Administration Wing and the Rear Wings demonstrate the shared uses and functions of the Place and the interactions of the workforce associated with it. The design of the Administration Wing incorporates both standard Modernist principles and more distinctive and decorative elements. Its unusual wave-form roof, full-length decorative screen, and prominent position alongside a major road, reflect the 'facade as billboard' approach to the design of factory administration buildings in the era. [Criterion D]
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PETERSVILLE FACTORY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING - History
Development of manufacturing in the 1950s and 1960sVictoria experienced rapid industrial expansion after World War Two. Certain kinds of industry predominated - alongside automotive manufacture, the processing and production of food products was a focus. Peters Ice Cream was one among several major food brands to establish purpose-built production facilities in Victoria in this era. While traditionally industrial areas in the inner-suburbs of Melbourne continued to develop in the post-war decades, the era was also characterised by marked decentralisation. Major manufacturers developed substantial new facilities in suburban fringe locations such as Dandenong, Cheltenham and Clayton. This form of decentralisation developed alongside the growth in car ownership and suburban housing estates. Manufacturing facilities were built alongside major roads, often some distance from train stations, and car parking was provided for staff on site. These new greenfields locations allowed for an expansive use of space, with administration buildings often set well in front of more utilitarian production facilities and complemented by landscaping and gardens.
Peters Ice CreamAmerican expatriate Frederick Peters founded the Peters American Delicacy Company in Australia in 1907. First established in Paddington in Sydney, by 1929 subsidiaries had been set up in Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria. The Victorian branch and was based in Meyers Place in central Melbourne, before moving to a refurbished former shoe factory in Richmond in 1936. During 1957, Peters Ice Cream (Victoria) Ltd, took over two rival ice cream producers, and between 1960 and 1963 acquired a further ten companies. These acquisitions included other iconic brand names including Four'n Twenty Pies, Edgell and Birds Eye. To accommodate this growth, in 1961 Peters acquired a 35-hectare site at the south-west corner of Wellington Road and Springvale Road in what was then known as Clayton (now Mulgrave). The decision to relocate from Richmond reflected a post-war trend towards decentralisation of industry that saw many established Melbourne manufacturers move from the inner-city to developing suburban fringes. In 1964, Peters Ice Cream (Victoria) Ltd took on the name of the new site and became known as Petersville Australia Ltd. The company has changed ownership multiple times since that era, but the Peters brand remains a prominent one. The company is notable for its high profile and longstanding promotional activities - including street signage, radio and television programs, branded small refrigerator cabinets and sponsorship of the Moomba parade.
D Graeme Lumsden, architectArchitect D Graeme Lumsden established his own practice in 1948 and was later joined by younger architects Ted Ashton and Bill Hale, who became key members of the office. Although the office of D Graeme Lumsden (and its later incarnations) undertook a range of projects including houses, office buildings, banks and a winery, the firm's main focus was industrial buildings. Factory projects were commissioned by such high-profile manufacturers as Nicholas Ltd, Volkswagen Australia, Glaxo, Patons Brakes, Leyland Motors, Speciality Press, Murfett Publishers and Smith & Nephew. After Lumsden's death in 1995, an obituary by Neil Clerehan described him as both 'one of Australia's most successful industrial architects' and an 'industrial design pioneer'. Lumsden's reputation and expertise as a designer of factories and their associated offices and administration buildings is evident from press coverage generated by individual factory projects.
PetersvilleIn 1961, Peters commissioned the office of D Graeme Lumsden to design a new manufacturing complex for its recently purchased Wellington Road site. In early 1962, the construction tender was awarded to McDougall & Ireland. Construction began on the site in February 1962 and production was transferred from the Richmond plant by July 1963. On 12 May 1964, the new factory was officially opened by the Governor of Victoria, Sir Rohan Delacombe. The term Petersville was coined during 1962 as a quasi-geographic label for the factory site and subsequently became to moniker of the company. Substantial changes were made to the production areas of the site in 1998 under Nestle's ownership. The Petersville Factory Administration Building was utilised until 2016, when a new administrative centre was built to the rear of site. Peters continues to operate in modern facilities on other parts of the site.
PETERSVILLE FACTORY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:General conditions
Exemptions from the need for a permit under the Act for categories of works and activities that may be carried out in relation to places and objects in the Register can be granted at the time of registration (under s.49(3) of the Heritage Act). Exemptions from the need for a permit under the Act for categories of works and activities in relation to places and objects can also be applied for and granted after registration (under s.92 of the Heritage Act).
General Condition 1
All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
General Condition 2
Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible.
General Condition 3
All works should ideally be informed by Conservation Management Plans prepared for the place. The Executive Director is not bound by any Conservation Management Plan and permits still must be obtained for works suggested in any Conservation Management Plan.
General Condition 4
Nothing in this determination prevents the Heritage Council from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
General Condition 5
Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the relevant responsible authority, where applicable.Under s.49(3) of the Heritage Act 2017 the Heritage Council may include in its determination categories of works or activities which may be carried out in relation to the place or object without the need for a permit under Part 5 of the Act, if the Heritage Council considers that the works or activities would not harm the cultural heritage significance of the place or object. The following exemptions from the need for a permit are not considered to cause harm to the cultural heritage significance of the Petersville Factory Administration Building.
Categories of works and activities that may be carried out in relation to the Place without the need for a permit under the Act
Exterior The following works do not require a permit provided they do not harm the cultural heritage significance of the place.
. Minor patching, repair and maintenance which replaces like with like without large-scale removal of or damage to the existing fabric or the large-scale introduction of new materials. Repairs must maximise protection and retention of fabric and include the conservation of existing details or elements. Any new materials used for repair must not exacerbate the decay of existing fabric due to chemical incompatibility, obscure existing fabric or limit access to existing fabric for future maintenance.
. Removal of items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc and making good.
. Preparation and painting of previously painted surfaces in the same colour.
. Maintenance, replacement, removal and installation of electrical and fire services and security lighting.
. Maintenance, replacement or removal of existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) plant located at east and west ends of building.
. Replacement of existing services such as cabling, plumbing (including exposed downpipes), wiring and fire services that uses existing routes, conduits or voids.
. Weed and vermin control activities.Interiors The following works do not require a permit provided they do not harm the cultural heritage significance of the place.
. Demolition or removal of post-1960s light-weight partition walls, suspended ceilings, screens, built-in cupboards, cubicle partitions, light fittings and office fitout and equipment and the like.
. Installation, removal or replacement of safety devices such as detectors, alarms, emergency lights, exit signs, luminaires and the like.
. Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and window furnishings in office areas.
. Refurbishment of existing bathrooms, toilets and kitchenettes including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings provided it does not harm significant fabric.
. Painting of currently painted surfaces provided that preparation or painting does not remove all evidence of earlier paint or other decorative schemes. No currently stained or varnished timberwork is to be painted.
. Removal of paint from originally unpainted surfaces including ceilings, wall panelling, joinery, doors, architraves and skirtings by non-abrasive methods.
. Removal or replacement of existing services including cabling, plumbing, wiring and fire services that uses existing routes, conduits or voids, and does not involve damage to or the removal of significant fabric.
Note: A permit application is required for all works to the foyer, stairway and mezzanine gallery.Landscape
. The processes of gardening, including mowing, removal of dead shrubs and replanting, disease and weed control, and maintenance to care for existing plants.
. Repairs, replacement and maintenance to existing hard landscape elements such as paths, gutters, car parking areas and driveways.
. Management and maintenance of established trees and shrubs including formative and remedial pruning, removal of deadwood, pest and disease control.
. The removal of dead or dangerous trees and emergency tree works to maintain safety.
. Removal of cyclone wire fencing.
. Vegetation protection and management of possums and vermin.Public safety and security
. The erection of temporary security fencing, scaffolding, hoardings or surveillance systems to prevent unauthorised access or secure public safety which will not adversely affect the significant fabric of the place provided that temporary structures are removed within 12 months of erection.
. Emergency stabilisation works necessary to secure safety where a site feature has been irreparably damaged or destabilised and represents a safety risk. Urgent or emergency site works are to be undertaken by an appropriately qualified specialist such as a structural engineer, or other professional or tradesperson with appropriate heritage experience. The Executive Director must be notified of such works within seven days of their commencement.
. General maintenance for the purposes of safety and security including the removal of broken glass, the temporary shuttering of windows and covering of holes as long as this work is reversible and does not harm the cultural heritage significance.PETERSVILLE FACTORY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING - Permit Exemption Policy
Preamble
The purpose of this information is to assist owners and other interested parties when considering or making decisions regarding works to a registered place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage Victoria prior to making a permit application. Discussing proposed works will assist in answering questions the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place.
The extent of registration of the Petersville Factory Administration Building in the Victorian Heritage Register affects the whole place shown on Diagram H 2394 including the land, building (exteriors and interiors), roads, trees, landscape elements and other features. Under the Heritage Act 2017 a person must not remove or demolish, damage or despoil, develop or alter or excavate, relocate or disturb the position of any part of a registered place or object without approval. It is acknowledged, however, that alterations and other works may be required to keep places and objects in good repair and adapt them for use into the future.
If a person wishes to undertake works or activities in relation to a registered place or registered object, they must apply to the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria for a permit. The purpose of a permit is to enable appropriate change to a place and to effectively manage adverse impacts on the cultural heritage significance of a place as a consequence of change. If an owner is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that Heritage Victoria be contacted.
Permits are required for anything which alters the place or object, unless a permit exemption is granted. Permit exemptions usually cover routine maintenance and upkeep issues faced by owners as well as minor works or works to the elements of the place or object that are not significant. They may include appropriate works that are specified in a conservation management plan. Permit exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.38 of the Heritage Act) or after registration (under s.92 of the Heritage Act). It should be noted that the addition of new buildings to the registered place, as well as alterations to the interior and exterior of existing buildings requires a permit, unless a specific permit exemption is granted.
Conservation management plans
It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan is developed to manage the place in a manner which respects its cultural heritage significance.
Aboriginal cultural heritage
If works are proposed which have the potential to disturb or have an impact on Aboriginal cultural heritage it is necessary to contact Aboriginal Victoria to ascertain any requirements under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. If any Aboriginal cultural heritage is discovered or exposed at any time it is necessary to immediately contact Aboriginal Victoria to ascertain requirements under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.
Other approvals
Please be aware that approval from other authorities (such as local government) may be required to undertake works.
Archaeology
There is not identified archaeology of state level significance at the place.
Cultural heritage significance
Overview of significance
The cultural heritage significance of the Petersville Factory Administration Building lies in the double-storey Administration Wing (exterior and interiors) which has primary significance for its ability to demonstrate the development and prestige of manufacturers in 1960s. The Office and Staff Amenities Wings have contributory significance as utilitarian buildings which reflect the size and requirements of workforces at large manufacturing complexes during the era. The former gatehouse to the south west and demountable buildings to the south east are not significant.
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