Andrew Forrest digs in as council heritage row holds up manor renovations Fortescue Metals Group founder Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest's house in the Perth seaside suburb of Cottesloe. An artist impression of proposed extensions to Andrew Forrest's home in Cottesloe. MINING magnate Andrew Forrest has overcome formidable obstacles in his bid to transform Western Australia's vast north into a mining powerhouse, but his battles to renovate his house, Pine Lodge, in Perth's Cottesloe are proving just as challenging, after the local council stalled his plans to renovate his heritage home. The 19th century single-storey brick house that Mr Forrest shares with his wife, Nicola, in the well-to-do beachside enclave is listed by the National Trust and registered as a significant place by the Heritage Council of Western Australia for its fine design and craftsmanship. It includes a viewing belvedere in Federation Queen Anne style. Mr Forrest, who was once Australia's richest man and now has an estimated worth of about $4.5 billion, has lived in the house since about 2000. He wants to build a new carport with a bedroom above it, put in a new swimming pool, add a plant room, and dining and living rooms as well as a new media room, cellar and a gym. The Heritage Council supports Mr Forrest's plan to knock down additions made in the 1980s and replace them, but local councillors have quibbled over breaches of local by-laws including that the proposed carport is more like a garage and is almost half a metre taller than the rules permit. Cottesloe Deputy Mayor Jack Walsh has likened a proposed covered walkway with high walls to a Pilbara gorge and councillor Greg Boland wants the Forrests to hold a public meeting about their proposed $2.5m renovation. Mr Boland, a candidate for the Greens at the March state election, reminded a development committee meeting last week that the Forrests had removed Norfolk pine trees from their property about 13 years ago. Three months after the Forrests' architects Carrier and Postmus first proposed the renovation to the Edwin Summerhayes-designed home, Cottesloe council was last night considering sending them back to the drawing board, giving them time to reach agreement with the council. Mr Forrest's architects are due to continue negotiations with the council and are optimistic they can reach an agreement. The Forrests' council experience comes as West Australian Premier Colin Barnett rounds on councils over planning and other issues. Mr Barnett's clashes with Cottesloe have been the most fiery; last year he moved to seize control of waterfront development in the suburb, claiming the council had presided over "a 20-year stalemate." The past two resources booms have helped to make subdivisions, renovations and new dwellings a highly charged issue in Perth's golden triangle of real estate between the Swan River and the Indian Ocean. Mr Barnett has succeeded in diluting council powers with the introduction of development assessment panels for projects valued at more than $3 million. At present, small-scale, single-dwelling developments remain under the jurisdiction of local authorities. Last night, a spokeswoman for Mr Forrest said his architects had responded to councillors' questions by providing additional material. The purpose of last week's committee meeting was to seek the councillors' initial views. "The architects ... are certain the proposal for the front of the street is both contemporary and responds to the elements of (street name removed)," she said. Opposition or support of applications, based on minimal subject matter expertise, underscores the inefficiency of decision-making where personal taste forms the basis of opinions.