Sydney Modern Gallery

Protect the green land of Botanic Garden, Treasure the heritage

Usage of green space within the city, seemingly as it appears an easy option, is not a sensible option. Usage of land already developed and under-utilised will enhance the city infinitely more than reducing green space, which will never be retrieved.

1. Loss of badly needed green space.
2. Parking already inadequate
3. Apparent conflict between moving Powerhouse Museum to Western Sydney and expanding Art Gallery in Central Sydney..
4. Money spent on football stadiums and museums would be better spent on Health and Education

I wish to object most strongly to the proposal. The reason for my objection is the proposed alienation of public open space owned by the historic Royal Botanic Gardens and constituting such a valuable asset for the whole community of Sydney. Open space is becoming more and more important as the Government pressures local Councils to increase housing densities leading to higher population competing for access to open space.

I object to the proposal on the grounds of its proposed extension into the grounds of the Botanic Gardens and thereby reducing both the land available to these historic gardens and the open space available to both city workers and residents of nearby suburbs. Already significant areas of open space have been taken over in the Moore Park precinct and used for car parking and transport corridors. Enough is enough.

Furthermore we already have a large and underutilised Modern Art Gallery at Circular Quay in the MCA. We don't need another particularly as the motivation seems to be to compete with Melbourne.

There is an opportunity to create a world-class space for show-casing Australian flora and art.

As restoration ecologist, the proposed expansion of the Art Gallery in the former oil tank site does not utilise the full potential of the site, especially as the land is owned by the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust

An environmental sensitively designed hotel with a publicly accessible restaurant, art gallery and sculpture garden on a green roof would be more appropriate. The green roof would continue to provide much needed green space for the City.

The project needs to be reconsidered for uses more compatible with being on Botanic Gardens land in the centre of a major City. and to consider other and shared land use option, especially as the site is within the Botanic Gardens

Loss of Green space
Loss of Trees and habitat
Loss of Parking
Loss of a well known important historic icon
Loss of links to Macquarie era
Loss of natural habitat
Loss of desire to come to Sydney to enjoy world class historic trees and garden.
Disability access becomes a nightmare
I fail to understand why Sydney tries to destroy the past and present in the name of 'the future' !

Loss of green space and trees is unacceptable.
Don't kid us about gallery space; these are function centres being built in an area with limited transport options.
The contempt with which the government treats the gardens is shameful. As volunteers we work our butts off to try and fill the gap that your budget cuts create. The Art Gallery receives huge corporate and personal sponsorship whilst for the gardens it is minimal.

Open green space is critical for the emotional and physical health of our population and even more so in the city. If more space is needed for the gallery build up or down not out over nature.

The SANAA design will result in a significant loss of open space in the Domain. The tyranny of seemingly small decisions since 1912 has resulted in a reduction of 7.5 hectares of open space. SANAA probably believed the green space above the oil tanks an insignificant percentage of the Trust's open space and may not have been aware of these figures when they received the brief. The Domain and Gardens are historically and scientifically important. They are the green lungs of Sydney. The area of their original design was considered adequate for Sydney's population 200 years ago. However it is unreasonable to suggest reducing this space, given Sydney's current population, is sensible planning.

The grassed concrete platforms you refer to as being suitable for the extension are recreational open space. Refurbishment of the subterranean tank is a sensible extension to gallery storage space. However the area above should remain recreational open space.

The design brief could have considered the adaptive re-use of government buildings within walking distance of the gallery. My submissions to the Ministers suggested several such options.

If the extension of your facilities cannot be "off-site" then a more reasonable solution would have extended the Gallery to the east and south over the rail line. The building could then have incorporated a metro station on the Eastern Suburbs rail line and assisted in rectifying the separation of Woolloomooloo from the Domain.

Eventually these seemingly small decisions cause larger problems because of their implied disrespect for open space. Please reconsider your current planning.

I am sorry that the new galleries have been proposed. There is little enough open space in the city as it is. I particularly feel that there is too much encroachment on Mrs Macquaries Road and thus on her Chair. I do enjoy going to the present art gallery and part of that enjoyment is walking in the Botanical Gardens. It is a marvellous green space that refreshes us. Any diminution of that space should not be allowed. I am a member of both the Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens, and feel that there should not be competition between them. Sydney is turning into a nightmare city, with spending big on huge items that attempt to make us appear sophisticated. Alas, it doesn't work.

I object to the application on the grounds of loss of green space in this precinct.

I object to the Sydney Modern, AGNSW development on the grounds that:
Sydney, particularly the CBD, can't afford to lose the green space, of which so little already exists.
140 trees in the development footprint will be discarded, which will mean a significant loss of wildlife and insect habitat and plant biodiversity.
The NSW government has made no firm commitment to compensate the Trust for loss of land.
There is no public transport study or plan.
The significant disruption to the Botanic Garden and Domain during construction.

I wish to object to the Sydney Modern proposal on the grounds that it will encroach on existing geen spaces of the gardens and domain which history has dedicated to the people of Sydney. Precious trees will go along with views and vistas across to Woolloomooloo. The Blight of The Cahill Expressway and the noise has damaged our beautiful Gardens.
Let's not loose any more of the wonderful legacy left to the people of Sydney by Governor Macquarie. The Gardens are too important to me as a Volunteer of 15 plus years and the Botsnic Gardens Trust

I am distresssed that any government body would seek to snatch green space and destroy trees - once lost, never can be restored. There are plenty of other places for a second art gallery, eg the area around Central Railway Station or incorporated into Barangaroo. Centennial Park is one of the wonders of Sydney and only the forethought of the people of that time saved that area for us. Having sampled the air quality in Hong Kong & Beijing one can only be horrified at the Art Gallery Society for attempting to decimate the Royal Botanic Gardens.

I object to Sydney Modern being located at the Art Gallery taking up land and open space in the Domain.
I believe that this gallery extension should be located in Western Sydney where the centre of Sydney's population is.
The creation of an arts and cultural precinct for Parramatta is important for the development of a vibrant community. Given that a relocated Powerhouse is considered a vital new addition to Parramatta, then it follows that the Art Gallery 's new extension should be located there too.

Any loss at all of green space owned by the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust (the Trust) is not acceptable. The importance of green space and it's maintenance and enhancement is critical for the enjoyment and well-being of our community and any further growth in the population.

My objection to these proposals are based on the following - a roundabout adjacent to the historic Woolloomooloo Gate; loss of green space; the size and visual impact of the new Art Gallery pavilion.

There is clear preference for the Art Gallery expansion over the interests of the Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust. Is the Art Gallery represented by a stronger lobby group?

Green space in our city is appreciated by all, whereas the Art Gallery would only have appeal to a lesser percentage of the population. Why then is it to expand at the expense of the surrounding area?

Dear Minister,

I seek to loge an objection to the Sydney Modern Project which is first and foremost, a gross overdevelopment of the site and, secondly, incompatible with the existing built structure which is a truly magnificent heritage building.

I am unsure as to the design selection process but I would have thought that a project as important as the expansion of the Art Gallery of New South Wales should have open to a competition for ideas.

Whilst I acknowledge the Art Gallery probably needs further space, a more sensible approach would be to create a Garden walkway down to the Domain Carpark and to create the additional Art Gallery space in that location. The parkland leading down to the Domain carpark has the potential to be converted into a revenue generating Gardens by the Bay style development (Singapore model). As it stands the Domain Carpark is an ugly structure but it offers the potential for redevelopment and connectivity from the existing Art Gallery to the Art Gallery Modern with pathways into Hyde Park and creation of ample parking.

The existing Gallery suffers from totally inadequate parking facilities.

If one walks from the Botanic Gardens to the Gallery and then on to the Domain Car Park, it makes good sense for the development of Art Gallery Modern to occur in the location of the Domain Car Park.

I would like to have an opportunity to discuss my views on the matter and think it is absolutely critical for Council and State Government to listen to differing opinions on this matter in order to "get it right".

We have damaged so many beautiful spaces in Sydney through acting rashly.

Yours sincerely,

Janne C Lindrum ATC, BA (Hons) First class, DCA

Reduction of public green space
Destruction of trees and vegetation
Increase of traffic along Mrs Macquarie's Road