Project: Dalgety Wool Stores, Fremantle

Dalgety Wool Stores

Client: Match Group

Cost of Development: Approximately $100 million

Location: Fremantle

The Dalgety Wool Stores building in Fremantle is the most significant and intact wool store remaining in WA. In recognition of the building’s heritage and commercial importance, Match Group appointed Rowe Group to seek approvals for this significant industrial revitalisation project.

The building is an important site in the historic fabric of the Fremantle port area, a factor that was acknowledged at the project outset and guided the design and approvals strategy. We embraced its heritage significance and used this as a development advantage for our client.

Instead of downplaying the building’s historic value and proposing a development that paid little respect to its heritage, we recommended adding the building to the State Register of Heritage Places prior to seeking planning approval.

This achieved two things: it showed our client’s genuine interest in heritage restoration and lead to a more collaborative approval process; and it gave us the option of using the Heritage Council to assist in the event of strong opposition at a local level.

We also worked with a team of expert consultants that included architects, traffic engineers, risk management engineers, structural engineers and landscape architects to address all aspects of the development and maximise our chances of getting public support and planning approval.

As a result, we secured approval for the development of a four-storey building with 220 warehouse-style apartments featuring original structural fabric, with recreation and car parking facilities. The approval was achieved within a relatively short timeframe and allowed for the addition of two floors over and above the existing height.

Key Project Outcomes

Dalgety Wool Stores, more recently known as the Fort Knox Self Storage facility, is one of the last remaining original wool stores in Fremantle. Given its significant heritage value, the decision was made early in the process to actively list the building on the State Register of Heritage Places, thereby removing any community concerns about its possible demolition.

This action established the basis to proceed with a unique project involving the conservation and adaption of the building to create authentic warehouse apartments, with elements of the building’s intact fabric exposed to create exciting living spaces for future occupants.

Rowe Group secured approval for the development of a four-storey building with 220 warehouse-style apartments featuring original structural fabric, recreation and car parking facilities. The approval was achieved within a relatively short timeframe and allowed for the addition of two floors over and above the existing height.