The Windsor is Australia's only surviving grand 19th century city hotel, and a Melbourne landmark. The Windsor is so important that the State Government purchased it in 1977 to save it from demolition.

The Windsor needs facilities and rooms to be upgraded, but the current proposal would see the historic buidling almost reduced to a facade, completely overwhelmed by a new 27 storey tower and modern corner building.

Is it really necessary that the Windsor become a huge 332 room, five star hotel with rooftop swimming pool, gym, three cafes, huge new function room, business suites, meeting rooms, a glass atrium - and only 35 'heritage rooms' in what would be left of the original building ?

The National Trust needs your support to let the planning authorities know what you think.

30 July 2010
Supreme Court hearing date
The proceedings are fixed for hearing at 10.00am on Friday 6 August 2010.

29 June 2010
Supreme Court Our Only Opportunity

CEO for the Trust, Martin Purslow says: "The Supreme Court Application is the Trust's ONLY opportunity to have the merits of the Windsor Hotel redevelopment tower heard by VCAT. We are a not for profit community group and the ONLY organistion that is pursuing a review of this matter."
Read More

11 June 2010
Help us appeal in the Supreme Court

We need your help! We need to appeal the "strike-out" at the Supreme Court in order to overturn the VCAT directions decision, otherwise there will be no public hearing on the impact of the tower on the broader Bourke Hill and parliamentary precincts. Nobody else is pursuing this matter and therefore the Trust needs your help.
Find out more about the Trust's latest Windsor campaign

21 May 2010

The Windsor hotel developer has sought to have the Trust struck out from its VCAT appeal against the Minister for Planning's decision. A decision on the application at a directions hearing at the Tribunal held on 21 May 2010 is expected in the week commencing 24 May. In the event that the application is not upheld the matter will proceed to a merits hearing at VCAT in the normal way. If it is upheld, the Trust will consider further its options.

16 May 2010

A motion, moved by senator Bob Brown was recently agreed to by the Federal Senate.

The Senate:
1. Notes the Australian Constitution was drafted at the Windsor Hotel, Melbourne, in 1898 and it housed many of Australia's 'founding fathers' during the formative years of our parliament accommodating Prime Ministers, politicians, actors, performers and celebrities; and as such,
2. Recognises the national heritage significance of the Windsor Hotel.

8 April 2010

The Trust has lodged an Application for Review to VCAT.

30 March 2010

Adi Halim the director of the Halim Group, owner and developer of the Hotel Windsor has written an opinion piece in The Age in response to the protest rally "We aim to save the Windsor, not to bomb it". The Trust has written a response: "Commercial Solutions Public Detriment".

25 March 2010

Hundreds attend rally on Thursday 25 March 1pm outside Parliament House, Spring Street. Speakers included Trust CEO Martin Purslow and the Hon Bob Brown. Rod Quantock made a wonderful MC, taking us through the story of the mad hatters tea party application for a planning permit. Alice was the bewildered public, the Hatter played Mr Madden, the March Hare represented Mr Brumby, and the sleepy dormouse was Heritage Victoria.

16 March 2010

Heritage Victoria has issued a permit for the demolition of almost 50 percent of the Windsor Hotel and construction of a 91m tower. The National Trust has responded with a press release.  "By issuing this permit, Heritage Victoria is clearly not standing up for this historic site and precinct. The Executive Director has relied on economic arguments submitted to him that he has refused to make publicly available and we therefore call on Heritage Victoria to release that material and its own analysis of the data."

28 February 2010

The National Trust has issued a formal response to today's report of a leaked document revealing a plan by Minister Madden's office to run a sham public consultation looking at the future of the Grand Windsor Hotel development.

20 January 2010

In December 2009 an Advisory Committee set up by the Minister for Planning held a hearing, but only the owners and City of Melbourne were officially allowed to speak. Nonetheless the Trust attended and persuaded the Committee to allow us to be heard (briefly). The Advisory Committee report is expected soon. Heritage Victoria is not expected to make its decision for some time.