A BLUE over the colour of a heritage-listed fish and chip shop in Sorrento has led to Mornington Peninsula Shire looking at ways of having the original colour scheme restored.
It says it is “working with the tenant and the building owner to look at potential options to remove the paint” – despite having issued a permit for work.
The contentious bright blue of the old The Esplanade building has shocked many locals, with Cr Bryan Payne describing it as “another blot on the heritage buildings in Sorrento”.
But shop proprietor Julian Gerner, who is behind with the $50 million Continental Hotel redevelopment, defended the colour and confirmed the paint had not come into contact with prized raw limestone – only bagged render on the shop’s facade. “Taste is very subjective,” he said.
The shire’s executive manager planning services David Bergin confirmed the building was within a heritage overlay under the peninsula’s planning scheme.
“A planning permit was issued for minor works at the front of the building, including a deck and painting of the façade,” he said.
“Council has received concerns from a number of community members about the painting of the façade, and is working with the tenant and the building owner to look at potential options to remove the paint.”
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 14 March 2017
