SCEGGS Darlinghurst Concept and Stage 1

Please see attached

Please see attached

OBJECTION LETTER. UPLOADED

Please see attached letter.

2 April, 2019
Mr Jim Betts
Secretary
NSW Department of Environment and Planning
GPO Box 39,
Sydney NSW 2001

Dear Mr Betts,

SSD 8993 SCEGGS Darlinghurst Concept Development Application and Stage
1, 165-215 Forbes Street, 159-163 Forbes Street, 224-226 Bourke
Street, 217 Forbes Street, Darlinghurst

The National Trust of Australia (NSW) lodges a strong objection to the
proposed demolition of the Emil Sodersten designed Gwydir Flats
(Wilkinson House) at 165 Forbes Street, Darlinghurst, which forms part
of the State Significant Development Proposal (SSD 8993) for the
SCEGGS Darlinghurst Concept Development Application.

The entire SCEGGS site is within the East Sydney / Darlinghurst Urban
Conservation Area listed on the National Trust Register in April,
1981.

Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School Group (including Barham,
Church Building and Wilkinson House and their interiors and grounds)
is listed as a Heritage Item on the Sydney Local Environmental Plan
2012 (Item 301). The National Trust emphasises that Wilkinson House
(the former Gwydir Flats) and its interiors and grounds is listed as a
Heritage Item on the Sydney City Council LEP 2012 Schedule of Items of
Environmental Heritage.

The Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School and Wilkinson House
are also within the East Sydney Heritage Conservation Area (C13)
listed on the Sydney City Council Local Environmental Plan 2012
Schedule of Items of Environmental Heritage.

The Statement of Significance for the Heritage Listing of Wilkinson
House sets out the following: -

Wilkinson House: Originally named the Gwydir Flats, Wilkinson House is
significant at a local level primary for its historic, aesthetic and
social values. In a prominent location, the building makes a positive
contribution to Forbes and St Peters Streets and to the Heritage
Conservation Area. It is notable for its continuing residential use
over the last 75 years and provides evidence of the residential flat
building boom of the 1920s that permanently changed the residential
pattern of Darlinghurst.

Wilkinson House is associated with the early stages of the career of
the prominent early twentieth-century architect, Emil Sodersten, and
could be, if not the first commission, then perhaps the last remaining
of his early buildings in Sydney.

As a boarding house, the building has been associated with the
historical development of SCEGGS Darlinghurst over a forty year
period, playing an important role in the life of past and present
boarders and staff. It continues to provide a focus of memories of
their time at the school as well as being associated with traditions
that contribute to the continually developing sense of the School's
identity.
The National Trust of Australia (New South Wales) Page 2 of 2

Although not constructed to the original level of detail, Wilkinson
House is representative of the construction of apartment buildings
during the 1920s and of the use of an eclectic collection of
architectural styles, displaying references to Inter-war
Mediterranean, Spanish Mission and Georgian Revival influences.
(Information sourced from Godden Mackay Logan Pty Ltd, "Conservation
Management Plan for Wilkinson House")

Wilkinson House is significant for its continuous use since it was
built for accommodation and for the long association with SCEGGS
boarders and their strong attachment to the building as their 'home'.
The building has historic social significance for its association with
SCEGGS boarders. The building is historically significant for its
association with Emil Sodersten, a key architect of the inter-war
period in Sydney. Significant elements include original plaster
ceilings to the majority of the building and ability to interpret the
original apartment configuration, the intact entry foyer and lobby.
(Information sourced from Tanner & Associates Pty Ltd, "Heritage
Assessment SCEGGS Darlinghurst")

In the light of the above Statement of Significance, the Trust is
currently considering the listing of Wilkinson House (Gwydir Flats) on
the National Trust Register.

The National Trust has consistently opposed the use of State
Significant Development designation to over-ride existing heritage
protection provisions. The Trust maintains that there should be a
proper balance between development and heritage conservation and that
balance certainly does not exist in terms of State Significant
Development proposals.

The National Trust strongly objects to the proposed demolition of
Wilkinson House.

The Trust is also concerned that the broader development proposal will
impact on the sight lines to the 1833 John Verge designed "Barham"
which was listed on the National Trust Register in October, 1974, is
listed as a Heritage Item on the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012,
and, in the National Trust's view should be listed on the State
Heritage Register.

In the National Trust's view this Concept Design should be seriously
re-thought with an emphasis on the recognition, better protection and
conservation of the heritage of the site which is an important element
of the broader heritage of the Darlinghurst area.

Yours sincerely,

Graham Quint
Director Conservation

please refer to the attached

I am Objecting to the SCEGGS Master Plan
SCEGGS development proposal - objection to stage 1 DA.

I have a number of concerns with this proposal.
1. The proposed demolition of Wilkinson House
2. The ongoing demolition period
3. The introduction of a child care centre with 90 places
4. The capital investment value of the project falls just under the
$50 million value.

1. Proposed demolition of Wilkinson House
Wilkinson house is listed as a local heritage item in the Sydney Local
Environment plan. How can it be arbitrarily demolished to provide
larger, flexible contemporary learning spaces? Surely a refurbishment
option is a better decision.

2. Ongoing demolition period
The demolition of the building also includes digging 3.3m to
accommodate a new building. This excavation will potentially be
through rock. This is a very noisy process and will cause vibrations.
I suspect it will not be a short job either. Our apartment overlooks
Wilkinson house and we would suffer the impact of this noise and
vibration. The previous rebuilding at SCEGGs was extremely noisy and
took a very long time so we do know what to expect.

3. The introduction of a child care centre with 90 places
I attended one of the consultation evenings and viewed the various
documents. I was told that there would be no increase in student
numbers, but at no time was I advised that a 90 place child care
centre would be included. This is potentially an additional 90
vehicles every morning and afternoon accessing the limited parking to
take a child to the centre and then to pick them up. The proposal has
9 spaces but I doubt that this is sufficient. This will not be a drop
off process but actually require parking and leaving the vehicle to
enter the child care centre and sign the child in. This is not a 2
minute task.
The traffic is currently overwhelming, with significant double parking
and long lines of vehicles, along with buses often doubled parked
idling their engines for lengthy periods. I walk to work each morning
along Forbes Street, into St Peter's Street and then along part of
Bourke Street so I am very aware of the current traffic issues. A
child care centre with 90 spaces will only exacerbate this. I see no
traffic management plan in the proposal.

4. The capital investment value of the project falls just under the
$50 million value.
Surprisingly this substantial development comes in at $49.3 million.
Just under the threshold for having to undertake a competitive design
process. An interesting coincidence?

Please see attached submission

Please find attached my letter of objection to the proposal.

This relates to the significant issues of:
- Destruction of local heritage
- Over scale height and bulk
- Traffic and
- Local residential impact.

Please see uploaded letter

Please refer to the attached letter

SUBMISSION PDF DOCUMENT UPLOADED

Pls see attached letter

Note: This submission is made on the basis of a review of the Applicant's
documents exhibited and information able to be sourced from thirds
parties and I have assumed this information to be accurate.

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