Developer won't sell Mount Pleasant relics despite mass phone calls

For the past few months, six concrete pillars have stood on guard at the cleared-out property once home to the Mount Pleasant gatehouse.

Developer Allan Virieux's phone has been running hot with offers to buy them, but they're not for sale.

Mr Virieux plans to repurpose the gateposts as the entrance to 11 new townhouses.

"We've had 50 phone calls wanting to buy them, but I want to reuse them as part of the development," he said.

"We tried to save as much as we possibly could [from the property] - what vandals didn't destroy - so we'll reuse them for the entrance."

Mr Virieux said he didn't know how old the gateposts were.

"They're not convict years ... but they'd be early 1900s I suppose," he said.

"They're bloody heavy - the bluestone block on the bottom of them would have to weigh a tonne each or more.

"They'll be looked after and patched up as best as they can. Some of them are missing the tops so we'll try and get them back to what they looked like."

The 5000 square metre property was once part of the historic Mount Pleasant Estate, but is not heritage listed.

Mr Virieux bought the land in late 2022 after the gatehouse - a cottage that once stood at the estate's entrance - was hit by multiple arson attacks.

The building had been left abandoned by its owner for about 15 years before it was finally burned beyond repair in 2022.

It has since been demolished and trees have been removed from the property.

Mr Virieux said it was likely that another developer would ultimately complete the project, which is called 'The Gatehouses'.

"I'm going to try and sell it as a DA project - if I can't I may have to build," he said.

"The DA has been approved by the council - we're just waiting on the council to approve the roadworks for the driveway to go in which we're working on.

"It's very close."