Demolition of Huckleberry Finn's approved
Demolition of the Huckleberry Finn's shop at 24-28 The Boulevarde, Woy Woy, has been approved by Central Coast Council following a review.
The review application, DAR/126/2024, was lodged by Bruce Kerr Pty Ltd, who are also the owners of the property.
The site, located on the north-west corner of The Boulevarde and Brick Wharf Rd, was historically known as Alderton's Fish Supply Shop in the late 1920s before becoming Huckleberry Finn's fish and chip shop, which ceased trading in 1999, according to the council assessment.
The original application for demolition was refused by Council in September 2024 for several reasons, including insufficient information regarding heritage impact, potential land contamination, the necessity of demolition, and the proposal's impact on the Woy Woy Town Centre vision.
In response to the refusal, the applicant submitted further information, including a heritage assessment, a structural engineering iInspection report, and a bill of quantities estimate.
While the building was recommended for potential heritage listing in a 2021 study, Council's heritage officer concluded that due to deterioration and the removal of original fabric over years of vacancy, the building no longer met the criteria for heritage listing.
A structural report indicated the building was in a significantly dilapidated state with structural concerns and a cost estimate showed that renovation would be significantly more expensive than demolition and redevelopment.
The Council assessment report noted that, while the site was not heritage listed, it was near several heritage items.
However, the heritage assessment concluded that the proposed demolition would not detract from the significance of these surrounding items.
To the contrary, it stated that the existing dilapidated state of the building currently detracts from them.
Following the review and the provision of additional information, Council officers recommended granting consent to the demolition application, subject to conditions.
There were several submissions from the public expressing concern at the way the building had been deliberately allowed to fall into a state of disrepair.
While acknowledging public interest and concerns raised regarding the building's neglect, Council stated it had no power to compel maintenance and that the building's condition limited the possibility of accurate renovation.
The assessment stated that the demolition was seen as an opportunity for future development aligned with the vision for Woy Woy Town Centre.
The approval operates from March 2 and will lapse in five years if works do not commence.
SOURCE:
DA Tracker,, 22 Mar 2025
DAR/126/2024, Central Coast Council