City welcomes sentence for heritage destruction

Published on 11 June 2021

The City of Hobart has welcomed the penalty handed down today to a developer who demolished heritage-listed stone footings on his Mount Stuart property after already having been convicted and fined for destroying a heritage home.

Chief Executive Officer Kelly Grigsby said the $90,000 fine plus court costs imposed on Darko Krajinovic by the Hobart Magistrates Court today in response to the latest conviction was appropriate.

“Mr Krajinovic’s actions were unacceptable and illegal,” Ms Grigsby said. “They were carried out with complete disregard for planning laws or for the community.

“Today’s outcome is an example of the likely result for anyone who chooses to ignore their legal responsibilities when embarking on a development project. We hope it will serve as a warning to others.”

In handing down the sentence, Magistrate Jackie Hartnett noted that the condition to retain the sandstone footings was clear and that, based on his history with the site, Mr Krajinovic should have been aware of the legal requirements.

Today’s sentencing relates to the removal of original sandstone footings at the 55 Mount Stuart Road property. It is in addition to a fine of $225,000 plus legal costs handed down in 2017 in response to the initial charges relating to the deliberate demolition of a heritage-listed building on the same property four years ago.