50-52/54 Phillip Street New Hotel/Residential Building Stage 1 Concept DA

See attached

My concerns are based on living at the Astor at 123 Macquarie Street Sydney which is partly opposite the development on the back Phillip Lane : full time from 1977 to 2006 and part time since I retired.I lived on the first floor until 2000, then on the eleventh.

I was also the Secretary of the Friends of the First Government House Site which fought and won a campaign to stop the site( now the Museum of Sydney) from being covered by an officebuilding, so I am particularly alive to the heritage significance of this area.

One of the very pleasing things that has happened in this century is the livening appreciation of the importance of heritage. The focus on respect for the pre European sites, is heartwarming and vital, but it is only part of the whole picture.

In terms of the European impact no site is more important than the precinct of Sydney this application deals with. It was the centre of the transformation of the continent,( and for a while New Zealand ) for better or worse , for a long period of time. If its remaining fabric is demeaned by being literally overshadowed by the proposed cantilever to make more profit for a developer, it demeans us all by showing how little we care for our own history.

I have seen a lot of changes in the City since 1977. That is the excitement of a city. There have been improvements in the amenities of the area as a result of changes that have come with losses of views etc.But this application should not be considered acceptable and needs a major rethink, and I wish to object to it.

Having considered the current exhibition and appendices attached to this SSD, we wish to object to the proposal. We understand this was unsolicited when put, by architect/developer

Proposal will impact the Chief Secretary’s building (CSb) which fronts 121 Macquarie, 65 Bridge and 44-50 Phillip Streets. Originally this was the Colonial Secretary’s building and seat of executive government, as Premier and Secretary were usually the one person

CSb is the last of our treasured sandstone buildings not already subject to 99 year leases (eg, as Lands and Education are). It is, of course, listed on the state’s Heritage Register

While proposal purports to exclude heritage listed building, it doesn’t. Because CSb directly links two sandstone components – at Macquarie, Bridge and Phillip, a 4-storey building with copper/slate roof and copper clad dome. At Phillip, 5-stories with copper roofed mansards

Over the years, we have admired this fine Free Classical sandstone structure from inside and out – most recently, at several Sydney Open inspections. CSb is superbly decorated with ornate arches and columns, Victorian wrought iron, beautiful carvings and Carrara marble statues and floors

The Illustrated Sydney News described it as a veritable ’poem in stone’ (28 February 1891)

The sheer quality of its Australian Red Cedar interiors and Victorian period furnishings, is reflected in the Governor’s office and Executive Council chamber. Main tenant is the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW: several larger rooms are courtrooms

Because of CSb’s significance, renovations were undertaken in 2005. Investment : some $32 million

The proposed 47-storey development seeks to utilise existing interior as hotel foyer expanse, then balloons out above the heritage building. Three glassed storeys above Education is ugly enough, let alone 40+ looming above and over Colonial Architect James Barnet’s CSb masterpiece

This proposal is classifed SSD. It is vitally significant to the state of NSW – and, to the nation, that heritage of this immense quality and civic pride, continues to be appreciated unimpeded. For its historic, social, architectural, aesthetic and scientific values

Because CSb has them all

I write as someone who believes that your Department gives due weight to the value of preserving the national and tourism values of unique historical areas.

The Governors Domain adjacent to the CBD and Sydney Opera House was recognised by the Australian Heritage Council as of outstanding national significance in February 2021. With its historic parks, gardens and Colonial and last Century low height buildings, The Governors Domain is of unique importance in keeping alive Australians’ sense of our colonial origins and an important part of our national identity.

At 50-52 Phillip St the proposed DA for an enormous, curved cantilevered, 48 story tower above existing historic buildings implies that The Governors Domain concept does not matter to the nation.
Planners in your Department are being asked to agree to a massive, rampant slug of a modern building completely dwarfing the very important Chief Secretary’s Building with its southern wing in 50 Phillip Street and seriously compromising the image of The Governors Domain.

Please consider that allowing such a modern development, and probably superfluous hotel accommodation, in this area is not worth compromising a unique historic, unrepeatable precinct of National Significance.

While I am sure there are policies and procedures in place when a government-owned heritage building is sold, I wanted to verify that your department is aware that several significant pieces, including the Royal Coat of Arms, remain in rooms that were once courtrooms. There is also furniture and other pieces remaining that may well be considered part of the cultural heritage of the building.

If you could put my mind at ease that all of this is considered and protected in some way, I would be very thankful.

I had read about the project of 50-52 Phillip Street new hotel. This area had a group of heritage buildings, I strongly believe the new hotel will totally destroy the style of those heritage buildings. Those heritage buildings are very rare today, it's an icon of Sydney. I hope you can reconsider this project to protect the heritage group.

All of the Chief Secretary's Building is one of the three remaining examples of government sandstone buildings along Bridge Street that should be completely preserved, both internally, externally and skywards. The Chief Secretary's Building is the only classical heritage building in Bridge Street where the interior finishes are still intact. This building must remain for present Australians, future Australians and any visitors to Sydney, to be presented in a setting that is not overpowered nor dwarfed by a 40 storey tower above it that takes it's sky space. Heritage preservation requires a deliberate action by all NSW citizens and our NSW Government to ensure that a classical heritage building stands in a setting that was imagined by its designers and builders, and remains as a classical heritage building without major impacts from other buildings.
The Chief Secretary's Building is so grand that it should be used by the Premier's Office as her base in the Sydney CBD, rather than her office being shuffled to a different rented building every 15 years.
The heritage value of this classical building should never be considered to be merely its facade. The value of the Chief Secretary's Building is not only its facade, its value is also its ornate examples of interior workmanship that are no longer seen and will never be produced again in any Government building. In addition, the various roof forms of the building are so unique and not evident anywhere else in New South Wales. This building complex deserves to be presented without any overpowering structures within its air space.
I encourage those who are considering this unsolicited purchase to make the time to walk through the total Chief Secretary's Building and to look at the internal value of this building. I also encourage the same panel to step back to across the road and admire the roof forms to understand how intrusive and wrong this unsolicited offer to the heritage and visual value of our remaining classical building will be.
Where a developer occupies an adjoining building or block of land to a classical heritage building, it is not fair nor reasonable nor conserving our history to allow any adjoining development to spill over onto that classical heritage building.
There are no shortages of expensive hotels in the area surrounding Circular Quay and the Harbour Bridge. There are no shortages of highly expensive residential apartments in this area of the CBD. However, there is only one classical Chief Secretary's Building in Sydney, in fact in all of Australia.
I strongly object to the planned development by Built. Built should be advised that they can develop their plot of land that they own, BUT that they should not be allowed to intrude into the classical Chief Secretary's building in any way or in any form to alter our New South Wales history and the presentation of our New South Wales history that retains the remaining and significant achievements of our past leaders, our past professionals and our past workers.

Please see attached submission from the National Trust of Australia (NSW)

Please see my extensive list of objections to this proposal in the attached document.

12/5/2021
Name withheld

Mr. Jim Betts
Secretary of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
Submitted via the major projects web portal

Attention: Karl Fetterplace
Objection to the SSDA 34196 50-52 Phillip St, New Hotel/Residential Building
Stage 1 Concept DA

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the above proposal currently on public exhibition. I object to the proposal for the following reasons.

Altogether the “concept” proposal thus far gives minimal detail and is sketchy. So that if passed the risk is that the whole potential building envelope will be used with no architectural merit and no thought to the necessary heritage needs and nuances which are absolutely required in this sensitive area of Sydney.
Whatever the maximum height and volume of the building, up to to the level of the top of The Astor it needs to be seen as complimentary to The Astor and other heritage buildings, and above this to be an inspiring modern design conferring beauty and lightness in an architectural sense.
Until the concept design incorporates essential elements such as discussed below it must not be passed as, if it is, the likelihood of appropriate change is likely to be practically nil.

The ground level. North-South Phillip lane is narrow and dark and is not used as a community resource. This is an opportunity to open up and beautify the lane in a character similar to heritage buildings. For reasons of the residential nature of The Astor, any use such as shops should be 9-5 or daylight hours only.
The opportunity exists to rationalize rubbish collection to one provider to improve efficiency and minimize noise and disruption to residents of any building abutting Phillip Lane.
Phillip Lane traffic is a problem especially with increased volume including large trucks.
The Intercontinental Hotel has a drive in from Phillip Street, including loading dock, which seems to work well. It should be possible to devise a plan to access the building from Phillip street and discharge into, say, the Phillip street end of the Northern West-East arm. Since Philip lane manifestly will not cope with traffic, unless a solution to vehicle access can be proposed which does not involve the North-South arm of Phillip lane, the application must be denied.
Similarly, during construction which will take years, access to the site to be solely from Phillip Street.

Levels up The Astor level 12 equivalent. Windows at all levels and times designed to not overlook Astor apartments so that windows be equipped with fixed louvres – say, vertical - precluding visual intrusion. To also block any night light intrusion on the Astor.
Levels above this for (say) 4 levels to also be equipped with fixed louvres – say, horizontal – so as to not overlook or contribute night light into the Astor. Any outdoor areas on the new building to be designed with screens to not overlook the Astor community roof space.
Any cantilevered section be designed to lighten the visual aspect of the whole, including from The Astor perspective and particularly form the roof level.

Thank you again for the opportunity to comment.

Your sincerely
Name withheld.

Our submission objecting to the proposal is set out in the attached letter

My submission
1.0 Introduction
I am rejecting totally the present proposal by Built at 50 -52 Phillip St and request that their proposal be rejected or at least postponed for at least five years.
My objections are listed in the following paragraphs:
1.1 Heritage value, or historical value
The location of this site is in the heritage district of Sydney. It is the proto-historical district of Australia since 1788, the first settlement, that must be maintained in pristine condition for all future generations to inspect, admire,respect, contemplate and learn from.
The proposal says so much in a few words:
Appendix I, Statement of Heritage Impact, it says in 3.3 Urban context: Quote
The subject site is located in Central Sydney, on one of Sydney’s most important locations, on a key site along the north east edge of Sydney’s core Central Business District (CBD), extending from the southern Harbour entrance along the south shore. The area presents a mix of important commercial and tourism uses and is located on an intersection of three key precinct:• Circular quay Precinct: A vibrant, waterfront destination that includes the financial business core as well as world renowned tourist icons such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge. opera House and Circular quay Ferry Wharves.• Bridge Street Precinct: A historic sandstone building precinct including state heritage listed Chief Secretary’s Building, Land and Education Buildings, and the Museum of Sydney site.• Macquarie Street East Precinct: Home to some of Sydney’s most important public buildings and iconic open spaces including the Sydney Botanic Gardens, the Domain, NSW State Library and Parliament buildings.
Unquote.
(Note The writer forgot to mention the iconic Macquarie obelisk (1819) in Macquarie Place which I consider to be the centre of the Sydney Heritage district.)
This bland description alone tells me that the site is in the epicentre of the heart and soul of Sydney, the birthplace of white settlement of Australia and for the first 50 years the seat of government of not just NSW but of all Australia.
Therefore this centre must be preserved as an historical monument of the greatest importance to the history of Australia.
No interference can be tolerated such as re-purposing for hotel or private residences.
The buildings are a complete set that cannot tolerate any modifications, etc. as proposed
1.2 Recent history of this district
The recent history of this heritage district of which the site is the centre shows clearly the architectural mutilation to which the district has been subjected.
This depressing vista resulted in Bridge Street including Macquarie Place alienating local residents and visitors from other states.
I visit often this area . Every time I see the changes my heart aches to think of the blatant exploitation of an area that belongs to the history of Australia that should belong to its citizens not to some private interests closed to the public.
1.3 Other aspects of the proposal
1 The Intercontinental Hotel has become an alien body in this historical area. The future of this proposal will be similar.
Attend the coffee shop and you will notice the lack of local people.
2. The stables (Music Conservatory today) at the end of Bridge st is an Macquarie landmark of great value and further threatened by the huge shadow cast over Macquarie St most of the day as the proposal shows.
3. The tiny Sydney museum is screaming for space and can’t get it.
4. Tourist potential must be substantiated by hard numbers in the forecast not just mentioned in passing. Tourists will not arrive in numbers in the next five years, therfore no justification from this point of view.
1.4 Alternatives
1. The interiors of the buildings to be demolished are irreplaceable (floors facades carpentry etc that must be preserved
2. The site should be bought back to become a Common Good for the population turned into public space, museum, theatres etc.
3. The hotel/residence complex on 50/52 Phillip St shall relocate to Railway square, Redfern, or even better Parramatta.
Conclusion:
To allow this proposal to proceed is the same as to give permission for a hotel/residential complex to be built alongside the National Museum in London’s Trafalgar square.

Yours sincerely
V.Schlusser 34 Brett Place West Pennant Hills, 2125 phone 0405848901