Powerhouse Parramatta

Please do not let Willowgrove and the terrace houses be demolished.
As an educator and a parent, I am very concerned at the loss of physical history that the demolition would entail. Young people need to experience history in three dimensions and with all their senses. They need to feel the scale of building of the past and to imagine the living conditions. Have you ever taken children to Susannah Place in Sydney? Have you witnessed them understanding how different life was for people in the past? That understanding cannot truly come from a screen, not the feel, the smell, the small details, the cramped sense of space. It shows that there is an alternative to concrete towers and large glass windows, that there is a more human scale, different building materials and aesthetics. This enhances the learning involved with the historical technology in the Powerhouse Museum.
The new Powerhouse Museum needs the old historic buildings to bring context to its displays and a better learning environment for students.

Willowgrove and the terraces ! PLEASE SAVE THEM.
I am writing to you because the growing city of Parramatta needs reference in the physical environment as to how it was. The Government could offer to buy the DJ's building on the river and build their big building there for conventions, receptions and art gallery. The heritage built environment must be saved , North Sydney has an early cottage saved midst skyscrapers and Sydney has The Nurses Walk and The Rocks for reference. Please keep these old time buildings for the people , for the city's future, they are precious in a city growing so fast. Maybe a deal could be done with DJ's ?

I’m sending this email in response to your project concerning the Parramatta powerhouse and destruction of Australia’s heritage buildings.

I’d like to express that I’m highly disappointed that the New South Wales government is even considering demolishing some of these heritage buildings. Have we learnt nothing from our mistakes of the past. The house and terraces are a focal point in that area, reminding our children what we once were. Without these building, all we’ll have is pictures in books.

I agree with progress, but not with the sacrifice of our heritage. You only have to walk a short distance to see the public interest in heritage. The display of footings of a convict hut which was uncovered during construction and incorporated into the build was an excellent idea. We need more of this.

Please record my objection to this development. I will also show my objection at the next state election against the Liberal government for the first time. I will not support a government that shows disdain to its constituents.

I OBJECT to the Powerhouse Parramatta Project

My OBJECTIONS to the Powerhouse Parramatta are:

1. I OBJECT to the Parramatta Powerhouse because of the demolition of two heritage listed properties, Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace stated in the EIS to be “highly significant” but no adaptive re-use considered.
The Statement of Heritage Impact (SOHI) stated that:

• The demolition of the heritage items “Willow Grove (and potential archaeological site)” and the “St George’s Terrace (and potential archaeological site)” located at the site would have a major physical and visual impact on heritage significance of those items. The demolition would result in the total irreversible loss of the conservation values that constitute heritage significance, including significant fabric and the visual setting. (SOHI, p9)

• It is considered that some of the existing trees at the “Willow Grove (and potential archaeological site)” contribute to heritage significance. No mature trees within the established landscape of the heritage item would be retained. (SOHI, p10)

• Comparative analysis concluded that the “Willow Grove (and potential archaeological site)” and the “St George’s Terrace (and potential archaeological site)” are the only examples of their type located in the core of the Parramatta CBD. The demolition of these heritage items would have a major impact on the representation of these respective architectural styles in the Phillip Street streetscape and Parramatta CBD townscape. (SOHI, p10)

In relation to adaptive reuse, the SOHI states;

• It is considered that no alternatives schemes were considered during the design process which could have retained the “Willow Grove (and potential archaeological site)” and the “St George’s Terrace (and potential archaeological site)”.

Even though both Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace have clearly identified heritage qualities, the SOHI simply rejects these qualities and confirms the demolition of them.

2. I OBJECT to the Parramatta Powerhouse in its current form because it did not consider alternate sites for the development:

The EIS (page 18) stated in its social impact assessment, that it should consider all remaining feasible alternative sites and compare their respective social impacts and benefits. The EIS responds to this statement by providing three options: - Option 1: The ‘do nothing’ scenario (page 13); Option 2: Alternative location (page 14); and Option 3: The Powerhouse Parramatta (the project) (page 14).
Despite being identified as an option, the heading Option 2: Alternative location the EIS does not discuss a single alternate site for the project. Nor does the EIS address the SEARS for the consideration of alternate sites for the project.

3. I OBJECT to the Parramatta Powerhouse as it is not a museum.

The EIS seeks approval for “the purposes of an information and education facility” (EIS, p7). The Dictionary to Parramatta Local Environmental Plan 2011 (the LEP) defines an “information and education facility” as:
information and education facility means a building or place used for providing information or education to visitors, and the exhibition or display of items, and includes an art gallery, museum, library, visitor information centre and the like.
A museum is not separately defined in the LEP but is included in the uses that would fall under the definition of an “information and education facility”, As a museum is not separately defined in the LEP, it would be given its ordinary meaning. For example, the Concise Oxford Dictionary defines a “museum” as:
Building used for storing and exhibition of objects illustrating antiquities, natural history, art, etc
A museum is different to those other uses included in the definition of an “information and education facility”.
Based on the EIS, and if approved, an “information and education facility” would allow a museum to be located on the site however there is no obligation to have a museum under the terms of the EIS.
The EIS fails to ensure the location of a museum on the site because:
• the construction details above do not mention the word “museum”,
• the plans indicate “display space” only which could easily relate to any other of the uses available under the definition of “information and education facility”,
• the definition of “information and education facility” also includes the words “and the like” which could include a range of other uses not identified in the definition,
• the absence of the word “museum” in the project description “Powerhouse Parramatta” compared to the existing “Powerhouse Museum” at Ultimo, and no part of the proposed building has a designated area for a “museum”.

4. I OBJECT to the Parramatta Powerhouse as it is adjacent to river that floods.

As recently as February 2020 the Parramatta River broke its banks and inundated the site of the proposed Parramatta Powerhouse. To place the chosen Moreau Kusunoki and Genton design on a site that is subject to flash flooding would put lives at risk. The Draft Updated Parramatta Floodplain Risk Management Plan (February 2016) states about flooding that “Parramatta CBD is typical of flash flood catchments . . . arrives quickly and without significant warning time” (page 24). Additionally, the Plan states that “the average flood rate rise is 1.6 metres/hour” (page 19).

To place Parramatta Powerhouse on this site would be a risk to those in the buildings should the river flood as egress from the site would be limited. Additionally, in times of substantial rain forecasts visits to the building would need to be cancelled.

5. I OBJECT to the Parramatta Powerhouse because of the lack of community consultation.

The Powerhouse Parramatta project originated during administration of the council and did not allow for community consultation and an elected voice. In 2018 the community expressed their opposition to the demolition of Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace as part of the project with over 13,000 people signing a petition to save both these buildings. In 2019, the Premier announced that the retention of both Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace would be part of the design brief and the buildings could be saved. Despite the Premier’s assurance and the community support for the heritage on site, the chosen design would result in the demolition of heritage on the site.
Further consultation only occurred after the chosen design was launched and community consultation occurred under the cover of COVID-19 restrictions therefore limiting respondent participation.

I, like many of the New South Wales community believe that Parramatta, the river city, is an ideal location for a world class museum. This decision, and its necessary funding has been discussed since 1899 and construction of a museum is long overdue.

Now is the time to construct a museum dedicated to first nations, convict, colonial and migrant history of New South Wales. Parramatta was a heart of early British settlement without which NSW would not have survived and was the centre of governance for the first 70 years of colonial settlement.

The Parramatta Powerhouse is not a museum! The Environmental Impact Statement identifies this development as a “information and education facility” and further weight was given to this conclusion when Powerhouse CEO, Lisa Havilah stated at a community webinar on 25 June, 2020 that “there will be no permanent exhibition at Parramatta”.

The Fleet Street (Female Factory) site in Parramatta is ideally situated and provides heritage buildings ready for adaptive reuse, a 30-hectare parkland setting, and a light rail link.

I support an alternate, the Museum of New South Wales located in a parkland setting in the Fleet Street Parramatta precinct where heritage buildings will be treasured and given new purpose to tell the story of NSW. The story of New South Wales (Australia) had its beginnings in Parramatta, and the Fleet Street (Female Factory) site would give an authenticity to a dedicated Museum of New South Wales.

The National Trust of Australia (NSW) Parramatta Regional Branch OBJECT to the Parramatta Powerhouse EIS

The Project is a positive project for the area but the idea and what is being planned is narrow minded and has not looked at what can actually be achieved in the area and to also showcase the history of Parramatta.
The current environment and current world situation should be looked at and it should be understood that we should not destroy what created us but preserved and celebrated together with the new. They can live side by side and it is done elsewhere.
The project as it stands results in the destruction of Heritage items of which there are not many left in Parramatta. It also will encroach on areas used for recreation by Parramatta locals and visitors from Australian and overseas. The current walk is tranquil and enjoyable. With the building proposed it will be overshadowed and claustrophobic. In my 56 years living in Parramatta, I have seen heritage items destroyed believing progress can only take place if they are removed. It is possible to have progress and preserving the history of the area.
It also does not consider the high density Altitude Building consisting of residential units and a hotel, and how this project will result in increased traffic in the area and also reduced parking. It will also impact on the quiet enjoyment of the area by concentrating it in that corner of the area.
Access to the current proposal is restricted via Phillip street and with other high-rise going up traffic will be increased.
There are also issues with evacuation resulting in the loss of existing successful businesses and it will have to be connected with the Meriton Altitude building.
It should be spread along the river and make it a full entertainment area with restaurants in between and with the new Light Rail servicing it.
Church Street consists of wonderful eateries and cafes. These should be seen as the centre with the entertainment spilling over to the left and right of then and spreading between Smith and Marsden Streets and from Phillip to George Street.
Make the project include the redevelopment of Riverside Theatre, which are along the river and on the other side of Church Street. Make it a zone incorporating the museum as well as the theatres would be a more preferable option.
Access if easier to the Riverside theatres.
It is possible to split the development and retain Willow Grove and the St Georges Terraces and make them part of the development.
It does not all have to be condensed into one space.
It can be split between the David Jones Car park and the Riverside Theatres and make the area accessible to the locals of Parramatta and also make it an entertainment precinct spanning from Smith Street to Marsden Street along the river and also keep the heritage and keep the character and History of Parramatta.
Listen to the people of Parramatta and do not make the same mistake as was made with Bankwest Stadium causing the loss of the pool and reducing the places where the locals and visitors can meet.
Spreading it out and making the building at the David Jones Car Park smaller in scale and expanding the events along the river will keep the current welcoming area to locals and visitors and allow all to see the historical and modern Parramatta living in harmony and both being celebrated.
Re-think what you are doing and work with Parramatta Council and Locals to preserve what is there to redevelop the theaters and have a full blown entertainment quarter and you can incorporate the ROXY on George Street as part of this whole development.
This is not the only option there are many others that would be more beneficial to the area and also retain the history that would be part of this and have a modern use.

I wholeheartedly support this project. I am a Parramatta resident and also part of the New Powerhouse Community Reference Group and am well versed in the detail of the project proposal having reviewed many aspects of the plans. I have no issues with the project proposal and believe it will be of great benefit to the community and Parramatta. I love the look and proposed function of the project design and think the fact the support skeleton is on the outside means Parramatta will get a fantastic and exciting design excellence project in a prominent position as well as the function of the museum being greatly enhanced by there being no internal columns and services obstructing the display spaces. I am excited by the educational and creative production opportunities afforded by the studio and making spaces within the proposal. It will be such an amazing outcome for local residents and audiences to be able to see work developed and researched on site at the museum.
I believe there will be significant social, cultural and economic public benefit from the new museum spaces, exhibitions and public programming. From my perspective, these benefits will far outweigh the loss of the current onsite heritage buildings which are lovely but serve no public purpose.
Parramatta also needs more accessible, indoor public spaces, especially with global warming and average temperatures rising. Currently, the only indoor, publicly available spaces to escape summer heat are Westfields/shopping centres and Parramatta Library, which is limited in size. A new, world class museum of the scale in the project proposal that can be accessed by the general public who can engage with public exhibitions, programs and informal dwelling spaces will be an amazing addition to Parramatta and greater western Sydney.

I wish to object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project and the demolition of Willow Grove and St Georges Terraces. So much of Parramatta's heritage has been lost and it seems particularly illogical, and completely unnecessary, to demolish rare heritage buildings for the development of a museum. Willow Grove is particularly important as it was a maternity hospital and so has strong connections with many Parramatta families including my own. If these beautiful and historic buildings are demolished, Parramatta's character will be irreparably damaged. Parramatta deserves a museum, but not the proposed building and not on a site prone to flooding. The proposal appears to be poorly considered, the Environmental Impact Statement is flawed and inadequate, and there has been very little community consultation.

I object to the project because it will result in the demolition of Willow Grove and of the adjacent St George Terrace, both 19th Century buildings of enormous charm and value to Parramatta. They represent an important aspect of history in this old town and it would be a tragedy for the current and future residents, and for visitors to Parramatta like me, to lose them.
Please reconsider their destruction. Parramatta needs to treasure its few remaining historical sites.

I object to the demolition of heritage buildings and artifacts in Parramatta . I support the building of a museum and cultural center, but not the destruction of Willow Grove,
Saint George’s Terrace and other heritage structures.
The original EIS is no longer valid since the Government withdrew its project to relocate the Powerhouse to Parramatta. A new EIS is necessary.

The history of our City and Nation should not be treated with such callous disregard, but protected for future generations.

I object to the proposal to build the museum at the expense of heritage. In the impact statement, the follow is stated: “Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace are one of a kind in the Parramatta CBD and their lose would have a significant impact on the community's connection with heritage". Heritage buildings cannot be replaced and Parramatta has a very significant place in our history.

I believe there are other more suitable sites, such as the Cumberland Hospital precinct, which would be more suitable and not require the demolition of iconic heritage buildings.

Whilst I support the concept of a Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta I object to the current proposal for the following reasons:
- A new Powerhouse museum at Parramatta should be in addition to the existing Powerhouse at Ultimo rather than replace it. The Powerhouse at Ultimo has proven to be a prime location for significant permanent exhibitions of Australian historical items and I believe should be maintained as such. As there are many items possessed by the Powerhouse that are in storage another museum at Parramatta would be a welcome addition to enable these items to also be displayed.
- I object to the demolition of Willow Grove and St George's Terrace at Parramatta as these buildings have been and still are recognised and listed as significant historical buildings. To delist and demolish such buildings is destroying Australian heritage.
- I question the wisdom of building the museum in a recognised flood zone. Whilst certain allowance has been made for a 1% flooding event in the Parramatta River based on previous experience it is stated in the report that the site is also affected by the overload flow from Parramatta CBD. As also stated in the report, have CSIRO projections for "more extreme (intense) rainfall events" in future been taken into account for this location?
- No provision has been made for parking in the future. It appears that no assessment has been made as to whether existing parking in Parramatta will be sufficient in the future to allow for the Powerhouse development.

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta proposal. I do not believe the cumulative impacts of the proposal are in the best interests of the immediate area. I strongly object to the loss of heritage, specifically Willowgrove and St George Terraces. Leave our history and heritage alone and build your milkcrate elsewhere in Parramatta. Preferably build it somewhere that does not flood and impact/destroy OUR hertitage. Leave the current proposed site as open space for the public. Please stop concreting Paramatta, it would be preferable if you would stop concreting the whole of Sydney.

Please find attached my full report and comments for the Parramatta Powerhouse.

Andrew Andersons AO

"The NSW Government is to be congratulated in its decision to retain the Powerhouse Museum on its current site in Ultimo and to proceed at the same time with the construction of a new facility in Parramatta. The logical conclusion of this decision is that the unique historical collection of transport items would be retained in their current location in the old turbine halls of the old Pyrmont Power Station. It is of concern that at the time of this discussion on the 5th of July, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the Ultimo site would be a “Fashion and Design Precinct”.

Since the opening of the museum in 1988, recent developments have made the site even more accessible. Construction of the “Goodsline” walkway to Railway Square, the opening of the Exhibition Centre light rail station and the increased permeability of the redevelopment of Darling Harbour have all improved access to the site. With the completion of the Sydney Metro interchange at Central Railway, the Ultimo site will be in easy reach by public transport for the whole of Sydney’s metropolitan area.
In the thirty-two years since the opening of the museum some poor management decisions have reduced the visual appeal of the presentation of the institution while over this time public expectations have risen. A dynamic city like Sydney offers many competing attractions. Therefore, it is appropriate that the museum should be the beneficiary of substantial upgrading and refurbishment. However, the cost of this would be far less than relocating the museums historical transport collections, especially taking into account the massive reduction in the cost of the Parramatta building if it no longer needs to accommodate them.

The recent international design competition for the new building in Parramatta has led to exciting and distinctive design by the architects Moreau Kusunoki + Genton. This firm achieved international acclaim for that prize-winning design for the Helsinki Guggenheim project, which is not proceeding for political reasons. Sydney now has the opportunity to acquire a comparable landmark at its geographical centre.

The robust and highly flexible design concept can easily be adapted to serve a wide variety of displays or events as may be identified in a revised brief. "

I object to the destruction of Willow Dale and St George Terrace in Phillip Street Parramatta to make way for the Powerhouse museum. This museum should stay in the city of Sydney where other main attractions are for tourists. This government has already destroyed the 200 year Royal Oak to make way for a tram station that the next government will tear down in 20-30 years. There is life in these old buildings that future generation will appreciate and the people of Parramatta will appreciate that we can keep some of our heritage.

Dear Sir
I appeal the section to destroy Willow Grove House in Parramatta. I cannot believe that, in this day and age, such destruction.
Our history is so important to who we are and what we strive to be.
Please reconsider this matter, for the sake of our history and those who come after us.

Leave us some heritage, everything else seems to be sifted away, we need our history!!!

Dear Sir,

I am shocked to learn that demolishing such an extraordinarily beautiful heritage building could be under threat for the purpose of development. Parramatta needs places like this! It connects us with the past and provides evidence of a bygone era. So much effort was put into the architecture and building process to make these buildings so special. If you want people to come to this area, this is exactly the sort of thing that can attract interest and curiosity and admiration. It frightens me to think how short-sighted the planning department must be to have this remarkable building in any way threatened.

I can only hope that developers and/or other market forces do not have a strangle hold on what happens here.
Please someone apply some imagination to making this building something of a jewel in Parramatta’s crown. It really should not be that hard!

this building needs to be saved please do so

Willow Grove is a magnificent building

I object strongly to the proposed demolition of Willow Grove and St George Terraces in Parramatta to make way for the construction of a new Museum.

A better site has been identified in the Cumberland Hospital historical area and I would support that if it did not involve destroying more heritage (particularly the Female Factory and its surrounds).

I support a new museum in Parramatta, just not where it is proposed because of the extreme loss of valuable heritage.

I trust you will listen to the people of Parramatta, not just politicians and vested commercial interests.