Powerhouse Parramatta

The Powerhouse relocation has been a disappointing and flawed public project. From the ill-conceived museum relocation itself to the site selection through to architectural competition and chosen design, the whole thing has been mishandled. But I object principally to the inability of the NSW state government to develop a project that respects and reuses places with recognised heritage significance. How can we expect private property owners to work sensitively with places of cultural significance when the state itself will not take the time and trouble to do so even when it is developing institutions dedicated to exhibiting and protecting cultural heritage. As someone responsible for educating heritage consultants and other practitioners in the architecture and planning fields, it is disheartening to see the state constantly using State Significant Project designations to get around proper planning and heritage management processes. Students in these fields and early career professionals will ultimately draw from this process, and others similar to it, that the system of heritage and planning protections developed since the 1970s are mostly just something to be gamed. We try to instil in students a serious-minded and ethical obligation to use their professional expertise to assist property owners and others to arrive a good quality decisions and projects. This process makes a mockery of those efforts.

Our association objects to aspects of the project, particularly the demolition of Willow Grove and the St George's Terrace.

I wish to strongly express my devastation over the government’s decision to continue with the plan to demolish Willow Grove. This is a beautiful piece of our history and should be preserved for generations to come. There are many other sites where the museum could be built, it is ludicrous and complete stupidity to consider the Willow Grove site suitable. We have lost so much of our history in the local area including the loss of the Cumberland Hospital site, this decision needs to be overturned immediately. Please save Willow Grove!

Yours sincerely

Rebecca Churchill

1) powerhouse museum should remain at Ultimo
2) no heritage buildings should be acquired or knocked down (they should remain intact as heritage buildings)
3) if a second powerhouse or museum is to be built in Parramatta, an alternate location should be sought

This is such an historic building surely another site can be found for the Power house museum. If not incorporate the historic buildings inside the museum as has been done in various countries around the world ie - Northern Ireland and Westen Australia.

I object to the project of building the Power house museum on this site due the destruction of the 2 heritage buildings and locating a building that will contain heritage items in a area that floods

I object to the proposal for the following reasons:
1. The Powerhouse Museum should remain in its entirety in Ultimo. This is a culturally and historically significant museum and set of buildings for Ultimo and inner Sydney.
2. While it is reasonable to build a new museum in Parramatta, it should not contain elements that belong in the Ultimo museum but should be specific to Western Sydney.
3. Willow Grove is an extremely rare example of a Victorian residence in the heart of Parramatta and has very high social significance.
4. St George's Terrace is an extremely rare example of Victorian row houses in Parramatta and has very high social significance.
5. The loss of Willow Grove and St George's Terrace would have a significant impact on the community's connection with heritage.
6. It is not necessary to demolish these historic buildings to construct a museum in Parramatta. These historic buildings must be retained and integrated into any development on the site. This should be in the brief for any architect or other consultant working on the design of a future development.

I am totally opposed to the demolition of the Heritage Listed Houses "Willow Grove" and "St Georges Terrace" in Parramatta, to make way for the proposed new Powerhouse Museum. I support the building of a new Powerhouse Museum but not at the expense of demolishing heritage houses/buildings. The above mentioned houses should be saved in their entirety , not incorporated as part of a modern building. I believe there are other suitable sites available.
We can't have a State Government that is reckless in regards to saving NSW Heritage and in this case these houses at Parramatta. Does State Heritage Listings which theses houses have mean nothing?
Please reconsider and save these houses whole, for our history and future generations.
Thank you for considering my submission.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I'm a long term Hills District resident planning to continue living in the area. So I'm in favour of projects and initiatives which bring industry and jobs to the locality. BUT, I'm not in favour of suffocating congestion, high-rise towers (only low-rise), and any element of destruction of the natural beauty of the area.

Reason why I'm in favour of moving the Powerhouse from Sydney to Parramatta:
- Because it will draw tourists and visitors out to the Western Suburbs ... the new Zoo is out here, and it's good for Hills/Western employment (both construction and ongoing operation phases)

Area of concern re moving the Powerhouse from Sydney to Parramatta:
- What is going to be done with the existing site? I'm ok with the site being used for community benefits, but I'm not ok with more residential or retail development just purely and simply to line the coiffers of the State government. By all means SOME residential could be ok, to subisdise community facilities ... but my view is that pristine location should be able to be enjoyed by all Sydney-siders, NSW residents and tourists, not just those who can afford to buy a penthouse in the city.

Reason why I OBJECT to moving the Powerhouse from Sydney to Parramatta:
- It is my understanding that in summary, this project proposes to demolish at least two heritage listed building (or arguably at least two buildings of local heritage value) in the process of moving either all or some of the Sydney Powerhouse Museum artefacts and operation to Parramatta. I utterly object to the demolishing of any heritage artefacts during any stage of the project. It doesn't matter what the location, ALL heritage man-built structures should be preserved for future learning and enjoyment, and ALL animals and plants should be preserved where at all possible, instead of being sacrificed for development.
- Parramatta is one locality where there is acres and acres of free space and I'm certain that a reasonable review could find an equally successful and appropriate location for the new building WITHOUT destroying the existing buildings.
- Further, if the new Powerhouse Museum MUST be moved to Parramatta, a review of the new building architecture could surely include the existing buildings AS PART OF THE new museum, OR BE BUILT AROUND the buildings. This has been done in so many places and this process of BLENDING the old and the new provides the best of both worlds in terms of retaining past artefacts and history, AND moving forwards with progressing new initiatives and development(s).

That is all. I believe my view represents the view of MANY Hills/Western residents who don't have time to complete submissions or don't even know this is proposed.
It is my STRONG and ADAMANT view that this submission needs to be returned to the review table for a refresh of the construction plan. It is absolutely unfair for the NSW State Government to come into the Parramatta area and just trash historic buildings when there is no need. It's quite an irresponsible and abhorrent act for a State government to impose on a Local government and community, no matter who owns the land.

Yours sincerely,

As a resident of Parramatta city council I regularly see the destruction of heritage properties and trees (due to development) and am appalled that our laws are so lax that it appears there are no longer any protections for these precious assets.

As you are no doubt well aware, our summer temperatures are increasing due to the loss of tree canopy and extra concrete in our built environment, last year reaching 47 degrees and my concrete driveway reaching 60 degrees on the same day! I noticed that birds had died from the extreme heat. It won’t be long before our temperatures hit 50 degrees and we will need to build and live underground in order to survive these extreme temperatures. Our weather is also becoming drier and more drought prone due to loss of tree canopy. The areas in Australia that receive the most rainfall are the heavily forested areas such as Tully, the west coast of Tasmania and Terrey Hills in Sydney etc.

I was pleased to hear that the Powerhouse Museum will remain at Ultimo and I cannot see why the abovementioned heritage and natural assets cannot be incorporated into the new Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta.

Kind regards

Martha Ban

Supporting comments outlined in the enclosed cover letter and written submission.

Our nation is only approximately 200 years old but that doesn't mean we can't retain our Heritage properties that are still standing. As Europe has done for centuries. We need to retain ours. Please respect the last 200 years & keep these properties.

The development of a new Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta must not proceed if it involves the demolition of, or any adverse impact on, either Willow Grove or St George's Terrace. Parramatta is rapidly losing its connections to the colonial era. Willow Grove and St George's Terrace are particularly important as they are set in the very heart of Parramatta's CBD. They provide a magnificent contrast between 19th century architecture and the high rise buildings of the 21st century. If the creation of a Powerhouse Museum requires the demolition of either Willow Grove or St George's Terrace, then the development of the new Powerhouse Museum must be abandoned. We can not adopt a policy of destroying history to exhibit history.

I object to the Parramatta Powerhouse Project. Parramatta deserves a cultural institution that they both want and deserve which also protects heritage.
The definition of a museum is a building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited.
These heritage buildings in Parramatta are in themselves historical and cultural artefacts. They are veritable museums in their own right and tell a story about Australia and about Parramatta itself. It does not make sense to destroy a historical and cultural building to make way for another building to store cultural and historical artefacts.
It puts me in mind of Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi song where we pave everything and put trees in a tree museum, it does not make sense and it is still not what the people want. The case for the wanton destruction of heritage is not clear.
Why can't we can’t have heritage and development and investment in arts and culture in Parramatta?
But at the same time we should not demolish St George’s Terrace, built in 1881, and Willow Grove, built circa 1886 to be demolished to make way for the new Powerhouse Museum.
It does not make sense.

I object to the project in its current guise. I believe that the Terraces and the Villa should not be demolished. Both Council and the Heritage Council of NSW point out the heritage significance and show that this development needs to respect this. As a long time resident I am appalled by the design and how it pays no regard to the values of these buildings in the significance to the City and this precinct. It shows a complete disregard for the local community and the consistent requests to keep these buildings and to develop a facility around them that enhances the sense of place and community. It is ironic that a Museum that is created and curated to preserve the values and achievements of the community and culture, and yet in the act of creating a place for this destroys a significant and never applicable place and precinct. 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. I believe that either another site or a smaller version that also incorporates Council's vision for a public square by the river with high profile links back to Parramatta Square.

I completely support the views of the North Parramatta Residents Action Group and believe the our precious history should be preserved, not destroyed. Where alternative options are being presented in order to protect our heritage and find common ground, it would be more than just a shame to ignore them.

It is very clear how much the preservation of the original Powerhouse meant to many people. I am asking for the rational consideration of an alternative site (for what was intended as a replacement), the preservation of our historic (and beautiful) buildings, and the preservation of public space in the city.

The recent flooding of the river bank also shows the foolhardiness of the plan.

I am vehemently opposed to the demolition of the Heritage Listed Houses willow Grove and St Georges Terrace in Parramatta. We have to keep heritage structures like this in our community to see where we have come from . As a society we need to feel this connection.

I write to register in the strongest terms my objection to the proposed relocation of the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta.
The Powerhouse at Ultimo is a world-class Science and Technology museum, and no justification has been given for moving it from its current central location to Western Sydney. The destruction of the Ultimo museum and the historical building that houses it is wanton vandalism, with no discernible benefit to the citizens of NSW, other than property developers.
The permanent exhibitions at the Ultimo site must be retained at this site. To suggest a “fashion museum” as a replacement demonstrates again the lack of recognition of the cultural importance of the current museum.
Furthermore, the move also entails the destruction of several important historical buildings in Parramatta (Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace). Again there is no logical reason for this when many alternative sites are available.
Both aspects of this proposal demonstrate a disappointing lack of cultural awareness on the part of decision-makers, who appear to have no interest in the Museum and its future beyond short-term monetary gain.
I reiterate: I object to this proposal.
Yours sincerely

Peter R Gunn

30 Derby Road Hornsby NSW
21 July 2020

The new museum should reflect the historical fact that Parramatta was the first settlement after Sydney Cove, and is now an important major centre in its own right. Consequently, it is considered that the following factors should be incorporated in its establishment:
. it should not be the result of a heavily compromised plan. Plans prepared to date are considered grossly inadequate, and should be laid aside. Farcically, they call for destruction of two significant Parramatta heritage listed buildings to make way for an unattractive mixed-purpose modern building. The plans do not inspire confidence in the Government nor the project manager;
. the presently chosen site is totally inadequate, and should no longer be considered, as there is ample suitable alternative space in the Parramatta area;.
. the significance of the project is such that it warrants a fresh start, particularly now that the Ultimo Powerhouse Museum will not be closed;
. the new museum should have an appropriate name. ‘Powerhouse Parramatta’ does not qualify in this respect;
. it should be located on a site that:
.. is not cramped for room;
.. is not flood prone;
.. does not require destruction of listed heritage buildings;
. . can adequately accommodate a distinctive stand-alone structure purpose built for a heritage museum;
.. does not incorporate unrelated residential or commercial accommodation;
. . has adequate space for dedicated, safe, off-street parking;
.. is surrounded by landscaped garden and trees;

I STRONGLY object to the destruction of Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace. Please see my attached submission