The historic Shepherds Hill Cottage in King Edward Park has been approved for a new use, as a food and drink premises.

Monteath & Powys worked with our client along with 3+1 Drafting and Design and City Plan Heritage to provide specialised planning advice and assistance to prepare a Development Application for a food and drink premises (change of use, internal fit out and signage) to the heritage listed Shepherds Hill Cottage located at 41 The Terrace, Newcastle. 

The project site resides within the Shepherds Hill Defence Group Military Installations site and is located adjacent to King Edward Park along the Newcastle coastline. The site is also located within The Hill Heritage Conservation Area. The cottage is a single storey timber weatherboard residence thought to have been originally built as Gunners Quarters when the gun pit was constructed during the 1890s.

The project is an adaptive reuse transforming the weatherboard cottage into a restaurant comprising of a dining area, an exhibition/lounge space, and a café, as well as a commercial kitchen located outside the cottage. 

The project was designed and assessed with consideration to local strategic plans, plans of management including conservation management plans, the Heritage Act, Newcastle Local Environmental Plan and the Newcastle Development Control Plan. 

Consultation was undertaken with Council during the pre-DA stage following the heritage design and approved Section 60 with Heritage NSW. 

Monteath and Powys managed the Development Application process for the client in addition to managing the supporting subconsultants. Further, the project involved regular consultation with the client including the design and heritage teams. 

The project is expected to make a positive and lasting contribution to the Newcastle community by fostering sustainable economic opportunities whilst conserving, maintaining, and activating the heritage-listed site.