Powerhouse Ultimo Modification 1 - Additional demolition and rebuild of the Wran Building, removal of the loading dock and other internal and external changes

I object to the re-development of the Powerhouse Museum . I especially object to the HUGE reduction of exhibition space included in the plan, & I object to the spending of tax payers money to massively reduce the Science Museum's exhibition space. The Powerhouse Museum building was the original electrical powerhouse of our city.
Article 6 of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)’ Venice Charter (1964) clearly states:
"The conservation of a monument implies preserving a setting which is not out of scale. Whereever the traditional setting exists, it must be kept. No new construction, demolition or modification which would alter the relations of mass and colour must be allowed."
https://admin.icomos.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Venice_Charter_EN.pdf

The Heritage Council of NSW and Penny Sharpe, its Minister, gazetted the “Powerhouse Museum Complex” state heritage-listing just a year ago (Gazette 12 July 2024 https://gazette.nsw.gov.au/gazette/2024/7/2024-7_268-gazette.pdf) I do not believe this redevelopment to be appropriate adaptive reuse, due to the reduction of exhibition space & modification of the award winning "Wran" development of the 1980s,
I urge the govenment to value the herritage of our Powerhouse Museum & keep it as the WONDERFUL science museum that so many Australians love. The people of this state, & the generations yet to come, rightly deserve a science museum in the heart of our wonderful city.

These further modifications' continue the horrific destruction of a fine museum which according to many other experts required minimal intervention to allow for the continued existence and operation of The Powerhouse Museum as we knew it.

What we have here is the eradication of an award winning piece of architecture which redefined the presence of the Museum of Applied Arts and Science in 1988 into a world class museum. The complete demolition of the Wran Building and the Galleria is particularly unacceptable. These important heritage structures are destined to be replaced by approximate replicas that are substantially shorter, clad in incongruous brick walls, and concealed behind a row of souvenir shops that diminish their dignity and public presence. This course of action directly violates established international heritage principles.If this project was truly about conservation we would be keeping these buildings as they are.

What are we going to get in return for this unnecessary expenditure of the state's money? Nothing that resembles the capacity and scope of the pre-closure museum facility. We know that spaces will be diminished from 21,080m2 as stated in original PHM documents to approximately 30% of that . How can the museum's exhibits possibly be displayed appropriately? We know from the CEO that this museum's capacity for the display of science and technology is being seriously compromised by this 'revitalisation' . It's being turned away from its charter into a lightweight 'entertainment' venue.

This 'revitalisation' is destructive of the museum's real purpose and this reflected yet again in modifications which do more to facilitate this destruction both of the buildings and its focus.These modifications do not fit with the true purpose of proving The Powerhouse Museum , a museum of the applied arts and sciences, being able to continue in the form intended for the conservation and preservation of our heritage.

Thus these modifications must be opposed.

Please find attached the Save the Powerhouse submission to the referenced project

See Attachment

This submission has been removed from publication due to inappropriate or potentially defamatory content. However, the Department will consider any relevant parts of the submission when assessing and making a recommendation on this application

This is an additional comment to my submission. Hidden in Section 4.55(2) Modification & Application page 5 Executive Summary - there is this single line _
Removal of exhibition hoists & minor modifications throughout.
I have to assume that these hoists are the 126 year old historic cranes that are part of the original fabric of the building which is clearly protected by the recently obtained heritage assessment.
These cranes are not part of the collection and for that reason the Trustees & the CEO have zero interest in what happens to them.
The museum will be a Design & Fashion hub and cranes are of no use. This is last chance for this government to prevent a total capitulation to relentless vested interests.
Regards
Garry

I object to the proposed Modification Powerhouse Museum Ultimo -additional demolition and rebuild of the Wran Building ,other internal and external changes,
Sadly the Submission process is basically totally broken down, where the first time round we had a huge majority of community concerns regarding this project it is still going ahead even with gusto, now contracts with building firms signed moving forward nothing will stop this project now. This project is an act of cultural heritage vandalism and a huge financial irresponsibility. We are now asked to do another Submission , which I suspect will be ignored again and treated with contempt by the Labor State Government. I do feel I am wasting my time. At the last state election Labor had promised that the Wran building would be preserved , Not a pretend copy rebuild at huge public expense and the Mona Lisa of Steam engines the world famous Boulton and Watt only working of its type left in the world and will not be moved at all, Labor noting at the time how fragile and delicate this historic item is, built around 1780. Now total betrayal by State Labor, we will see demolishing of the Wran Building destroying all of its values what the then Wran Labor so proudly built for our bicentenary which the building won world wide acclaim at the time. Guess what now the famous Boulton and Watt rarest of the rare Steam Engine has already been moved out and dismantled. There is a real possibility that it may never be put back together again and working, because those rare skilled tradespeople are mostly no longer around.
Questions: Who authorised the dismantling and removal of the famous Boulton and Watt Steam engine was it the CEO and the management team of the Museum or the Minister? Whose idea for the proposed plan was it for the complete demolition of the Wran Building and costly rebuild ?
Key museum experts with extensive experience and knowledge here and overseas have been shamelessly shunned and ignored and left out of the decision making process. Experts such as Kylie Winkworth,Jennifer Sanders,Lindsay Sharp and others.
Concerns raised by a NSW MLC Mr Robert Borsak over a year ago. In an interview with 2gb host Mr Mike Jeffreys expressing major concerns with the current Powerhouse museum management team expressing their lack of skills, knowledge and professionalism and expressing that they all should be dismissed. These people are now making day to day decisions on the ground who basically should not be there in the opinion of this MLC , it has been alleged that even the CEO does not come from a Museum background. Mr Borsak MLC would know these concerns as he Chaired two inquiries into the Museum. Questions why then are theses people still in their positions? How does this impact the protection and responsibility issues with some of the nations most valuable historic assets regarding insurance policies?
It is clear there is a need for greater federal oversight here, the States alone can not be trusted with these historic very rare community assets.
One of the worlds great displays of working steam engine collections known as the steam revolution gallery a major education tool for our School children and a great enjoyment for families across Australia, now gone for good, never to be returned. Question who authorised the removal of theses historic steam engines was it the then Education Minister and deputy Premier or the Arts Minister or the current CEO and management team and where are they now, have they been loaned out to other museums this is known to happen from time to time ?
The Steam revolution gallery located in the historic heritage listed original 1899 Powerhouse Engine house the heritage listed floor of this building will be demolished and gone for good along with the huge Victorian 1899 historic decorative cast iron lattice and cast iron columns and gantry beams that support the original floor.
This powerhouse building the engine house is marked down as heritage grading" Exceptional" and yet it will still be removed and demolished. Who is behind this push to demolish this heritage listed building where did this plan come from? How can this happen you ask, this whole project is classed as "State significant" as such it can override all existing heritage protection powers. This is barbarism and heritage vandalism at its worst !
It has been alleged the current CEO and others are keen to turn the museum into a Design & Fashion museum with a commercial/ Entertainment hub and away from the traditional applied arts and sciences role of the museum. The Powerhouse Museum Ultimo Reference Group, Chaired by a former politician. Why was it, with this reference group allegedly seem to be a closed shop and did not include people such as Kylie Winkworth , Jennifer Sanders and Lindsay Sharp, experienced people with extensive knowledge in museums here and overseas and allegedly questions to the chair dismissed or ignored.
Labor`s Fake Heritage listing!
Despite strong public support for heritage listing , The Heritage Council fails to protect the peoples Powerhouse Museum, as did the Minister for heritage and the Minister for the arts as did the City of Sydney , because sadly this listing only protects the walls of the Ultimo Powerhouse , but not the historic Engine House marked down as heritage grading "exceptional" including the internal huge Victorian 1899 historic iron metal decorative iron lattice supporting along with the original floor this is to be all demolished and the listing dos not protect the 1988 Sulman award winning Powerhouse Building this will be demolished also. In any event as mentioned before this project is classed as a "State significant" project so it overrides all existing heritage protection powers anyway. So sadly it is all meaningless.
The State "Significant legislation" Act is being abused generally by the State Government to get around existing heritage protection powers it seems which is very sad, but why with a Museum which I find very strange , Museums are about protecting heritage not demolishing it, crazy stuff !
The decision makers of this project the Government of the day, our heritage and culture should not be taken for granted or if so they will be forever shamed in the eyes of the Australia public. I have raised these concerns with my local MPs and various media. Now I give up as this crazy project has gone on now for over ten years, we are still in this mess because the Government of the day is just too arrogant to listen to the community and key museum experts , like we are the Government and we know whats best for you! You could not make things like this up, sadly it is like the whole project is out of a Monty python play script ! But its real and is happening. I do feel at some stage, a parliamentary inquiry is needed here and importantly greater Federal involvement and oversight when it comes to the care,protection and housing of our national historic items. Hoping the Government of the day will look again at this project to improve heritage protection over the site especially internal historic features of the powerhouse museum buildings like with engine house. Yours Faithfully

Re Powerhouse Ultimo Modification 1 - Additional demolition and rebuild of the Wran Building, removal of the loading dock and other internal and external changes
On page 5 of Section 4.55 (2) Modification Application in the executive summary the following modifications are listed:
• Removal of exhibition hoists and minor internal modifications throughout.
If this refers to the original overhead cranes in the 1899 building and the later power station they must not be removed. They are definitely part of the original fabric of the buildings, which is clearly protected by the recently obtained heritage assessment. Despite its many faults, principally the downgrading of the heritage of the museum, the current heritage assessment is very clear on this point.
This removal policy probably refers to the exhibition hoists in the transport hall and in the turbine hall which have been an integral part of the 1988 ‘adaptive reuse’. These supported, respectively, the spectacular aviation and space exhibits and such things as the Transavia Airtruk and the Cierva autogyro. The Government must not claim that these need to be removed for safety reasons: we can locate studies by eminent engineers and architects that demonstrate that they far exceed the standard required for this use and were in excellent condition. The only logical reason for the removal of these hoists is that no museum material will be suspended from the ceiling, thereby removing the spectacular displays which were a prominent feature of the former museum and which brilliantly made use of its soaring galleries.
As the Wran building is to be destroyed, the exhibition hoists will also be removed. It is noted that the renderings of the ‘rejuvenated’ Wran building depict a very unexciting space with no museum features, whereas the original building featured a wide range of exhibits of world significance, including the Lawrence Hargrave box kites and Dick Smith’s helicopter hanging from the ceiling.
I suggest that the removal of the exhibition hoists is further evidence of the downgrading of the museum aspects of the proposed development. Accordingly, I oppose this so-called ‘modification’.
Tom Lockley

Re Powerhouse Ultimo Modification 1 - Additional demolition and rebuild of the Wran Building, removal of the loading dock and other internal and external changes
The Wran Building is the last vestige of the world award-winning adaptive reuse of the Ultimo Powerhouse. Thus, demolition and reconstruction of the Wran Building and Galleria comprises the final repudiation of the promises made by the Government before the last election. (See LABOR’S TEN BROKEN PROMISES ON THE POWERHOUSE MUSEUM by world-renowned museum expert Kylie Winkworth, accessible from the entry for 17 February 2025 on https://powerhousemuseumalliance.com/news-chronology-2025/ )
This submission is made to ensure that posterity will be aware that the whole project has been pushed through by successive governments despite massive public opposition. This includes a consensus of museum professionals, eminent citizens and leaders in many relevant fields of engineering, architecture and general artistic and historical endeavour.
The consensus is clear:it is feared that this project will spend huge amounts of money which will not give appropriate returns. It has destroyed the existing world-class museum and its spectacular building. There are also gross deficiencies in the process by which the present plans have been developed.
The evidence for the above assertions is readily available: it has repeatedly been submitted to the Government in many forms over the last ten years, and has not been refuted. The evidence indicates that the whole project indeed is an act of cultural vandalism and financial irresponsibility. But even more distressing is how proper democratic processes have been circumvented.
Therefore, I oppose the ‘modification’.
Tom Lockley

Hello
My submission is attached.
Regards
Garry

I've now spent over 50 minutes on this - first browsing the exhibition website - finding it offensively obscurantist - unlabelled diagrams with huge white space and unreadable microscopic text below - seemingly deliberately making it difficult to interpret or consider the plans.

I read a lot of architectural plans for developments - but these I found unreadable and useless - I gave up trying to interpret the red lines for proposed modifications as there was insufficient legible information I could make sense of.

I then went to make a submission e.g. https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/help and found it required me to register my email address AND a password before I could get in - more minutes doing that then responding to a security email - THEN finding it demanded the street address of my home before I could even complete a profile before I could even get in to the submission site.

I found this totally offensive - it seems this website is designed to PREVENT public perusal and submissions.

I object to this modification on the grounds that I was unable to read the plans due to their apparently deliberate obscuring of useful readable details - when the diagram filled my screen I saw huge white space and unreadable microscopic test below. This fails on basic fairness. This is not public notification - this is a slap in the face of interested public and affected locals. These plans should be rescaled to readable size so that clear legible text size can easily be read next to the appropriate diagram details.

If your providers do not know how to prepare legible diagrams and public notifications for proposed developments and modifications, suggest ask City of Sydney council. They do it very well.

This 'public notification' is the worst I have ever seen - and I have seen many. Please redo this.