Neighbours butt heads over plans to renovate Alan Bond’s former Dalkeith mansion

A bid to renovate one of WA’s most famous homes, once built for businessman Alan Bond, has caused a stoush between its wealthy neighbours. Former elite bodybuilder and fitness entrepreneur Danny Pavlovich and wife Suzie have appealed to the City of Nedlands to make “additions and alterations” to the massive Dalkeith mansion they purchased for $27.5 million in 2020. The opulent 3000sqm home was originally listed for $50m when it hit the market in 2017 and has a colourful history as the Bond family’s lavish party pad that once hosted guests such as Sir Elton John and Bob Dylan. When the six-bedroom home went up for sale, its features included a 21-seat home theatre, a ballroom for 400 guests, 10,000-bottle wine cellar, a gym, 12-car garage, tennis courts and a huge resort-style pool with a swim-up bar — but the pool has since been filled in. A report this week revealed some planned renovations to the Pavlovich pad had already been approved by City of Nedlands staff, including partial demolition, internal layout changes, roof replacement and eaves additions. But Nedlands council has to decide on other works the Pavloviches want to do at the property, including a replacement pool and pool lounge, a new outdoor pavilion, new garage, a porte cochere, parcel drop-off building, landscaping and changes to the boundary walls. The request would usually be approved by the city’s staff but was sent to the council after one neighbour opposed the plans. The plans were amended after consultation with the city, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and nearby homeowners. Changes have since been made to the plans to reduce the height of the eastern wall, increasing the pool and pavilion setback, reducing the height of a pool screen wall and a landscaping plan for the part of the home abutting the foreshore reserve. Speaking at a council agenda forum on Tuesday, Jennifer Roughan told the council she had “serious concerns” about the development’s bulk due to its “great impact on our amenity and enjoyment of our house”. She said the height and placement of the proposed pool close to the boundary wall would impede their view and “box them in”. “We love our house and purchased it with the faith that any neighbour would not possibly be inclined nor allowed to bulk up the rear setback or already excessive frontage and it is with great dismay that we find ourselves in this position of distress, lowering our amenity, life quality and how we live in our home.” Speaking on behalf of the Pavlovichs, Planning Solutions director Ben Doyle said they had already gone through “rigorous assessment” and had engaged extensively with the neighbours to resolve concerns. “Now this amended package offers northern boundary setbacks consistent with the previous building structures,” he said. “There is an increased setback of the pool screen wall compared to what was previously proposed and that has actually maintained a very broad view corridor to the adjoining neighbour over our client’s property. “There’s been significant reductions in the overall building bulk from what was initially proposed.” The application will be decided by the Nedlands council at a meeting on December 12.