TOD - St Paul's Anglican Church, Bankstown

Objection to the demolition of St Paul’s Bankstown

I am a parishioner of St Paul’s since early 2000, I have been devoted much my time creating art for St Paul's church and decorate Christmas Easter windows. I am also a member of Bankstown Historical Society.
Passionate about art and history I am volunteering myself as a church historian after the announcement of St Paul’s potential development.
Little known to many parishioners of today, St Paul's Bankstown was a birthplace of St Paul's Choir School as Father Tony Wood and Arthur Rossister founded in Father Tony's living room, It became today's Georges River Grammar. In 1939 new building work of St Paul's was suspended due to war and it completed 23 years later with the funds raised by the community. Now it stands as a living testament and as magnificent landmark in Bankstown. St Paul's is a sacred site where fallen ex-servicemen memorials are within the church and a final rest place where remains and ashes of priest, war veteran. Bankstown notable Identities and many parishioners are located in memorial garden.

The news has sent a shock wave among the parishioners and local community when St Paul’s formally called investigate the church’s potential development in 2016 The same years council controversially decided not to proceed with St Paul’s heritage listing even after all independent heritage experts concluded that St Paul's met all heritage criteria and it is locally significant. Devastated, many parishioners left St Paul’s, some of them were associated with St Paul’s for more than 50 years, It is the biggest exodus of parishioners I have observed since I started attending the St Paul’s Sunday service.

I appreciated CB City council has plan to list some historical building to permanently protect them from harm. I am still puzzled that St Paul’s, this treasured gem rare pre/post war architecture has never given a chance to be heritage listed now facing the imminent demolition.

I have attached the photo of St Albans Epping and St Paul's Bankstown. They are identical facade and exteriors. They are both the works of well known church architect Norman McPherson and both completed in 1961. Almost all his designed buildings are heritage listed and St Paul's is a rare one in the south of Parramatta River. The only difference is St Albans Epping is heritage Protected while the historical St Paul's Bankstown was once under the Interim Heritage Protection and now will soon turn to pile of rubble under the bulldozer if this TOD plan goes ahead.

I recently joined Bankstown Historical Bus Tour. I think it should be called “Tour of Shame” as most historical buildings or icons listed in tour guide book were all demolished.

At last I want to share this message with our fellow Australians: "A country that doesn't honour its history is a country which doesn't have much of a future."
Lest we forget!

Object to the TOD St Paul's Anglican Church, Bankstown
I came to Australia with my parents and we settled down in Bankstown for nearly 20 years. My parents attended the St Paul's service and was part of this church community for several years and have strong connection with the parishioners there. For over last 100 years St Paul's has been very special place for the local community where the celebration of birth, union of marriage and farewell funeral.
I am deeply saddened by the news the church leaders announced the plan to demolish this historical building and make way for a so called multipurpose apartment block. This beautiful and unique building on Chapel Road has been serving the community for nearly hundred years. It was designed for purpose of worship, which we believe it is still fit for this purpose up to date.

I am not against development or high rise but it is absolutely wrong to destroy our heritage and past collective efforts. It is unacceptable to disregard the findings of Heritage experts that CB City Council commissioned. Demolition of St Paul's Bankstown is most horrible heritage vandalism in our time.

I am against the demolish St Paul’s Anglican Church

I migrated to Australian in the 90 with my wife and since then we called Bankstown as our hometown. I also attended many special ceremony and occasions at St Paul’s with my family and friends. We love this unique landmark with rich history. We admire the hardworking past parishioners, war veterans, and local community who created this magnificent building over 23 years’ time. The decision to demolish St Paul’s Bankstown is horrible news to me to my family. and to community our history and our Anzac legacy will be forever lost.

I have seen the heritage buildings that council already listed or proposed. It is questionable why St Paul’s is not one of them as it is clearly the most important piece of our Bankstown history. It is the time to take the recommendations from heritage experts advide to put St Paul’s on your heritage list.
Please help us to preserve St Paul’s for my community and for Bankstown and for Australia. Many heritage and landmarks in Bankstown have been already knocked down and lost forever.

Objection to demolish St Paul’s Anglican Church, Bankstown
When we first heard about Bankstown Master Plan which all sound like making Bankstown a better place to live to have more green space and to enjoy better lives around us.
But fact is master plan and latest TOD program making our current residents lives worse. I am shocked to know that even the most significant building like St Paul’s Bankstown will become the first victim of this kind of development.
My family and I have attended Christmas Easter Day Chinese Festival ceremony at St Paul’s over the years. We admired the hardworking past parishioners, war veterans, and local community who created this magnificent building over 23 years’ time. This sacred site also had ministers and war veteran’s ashes interred beneath the Altar and scattered in the memorial garden along with many parishioners and local pioneers. St Paul’s demolition plan has brought so much pain to my family and to our community for our history and our legacy will be forever lost.
please help us to preserve St Paul’s for my family, my community and for our future generation.
I have attached a few St Paul's historical photos of fundraising for current church building.

I am an elderly Chinese Australian woman who has lived in Bankstown for over 20 years and I also attended St Paul’s service sometimes when Mr Tang was there helping Chinese con-gregation while there was no Chinese minister that time.
I appreciate St Paul’s long struggle history by past parishioners to get this beautiful church built during the war time and after war. Somehow it took them almost 23 years to complete. This church itself is a living story of sacrifice by generations of Anglicans. and What inspiring history to our community and new generation!
Unfortunately many stories of our St Paul’s fallen heroes like Sunday School Teacher, Able Seaman Allan Maunsell and Private Bruce Marshall, son of the minister Hugh Marsh and many WWI and WWII veterans were not being told in the church and many parishioners are even unaware of ashes and remains interred beneath the Altar and also in memorial garden. There has no commemorate service dedicated to St Paul’s fallen heroes at all.
I am so heartbroken to hear this magnificent building now will be demolished as early as next month. I really think this generation should appreciate what hardship that past generation had and take care what we got for free. It is our responsibility to look after not destroying it!
Attached are some memorial plaques within the church in commemoration of our fallen hero and priest and parishioners and Bankstown notable identities who chose St Paul's as their final resting place.
Also attached are the existing or proposed heritage buildings in Bankstown in comparison to St Paul's Bankstown

Faith Housing Australia affirms its strong support for the redevelopment of St Paul’s Anglican Church in Bankstown—a significant mixed-use proposal that reflects best practice in integrated community planning and will deliver critical social infrastructure for South-Western Sydney.

We here state our strong objection to the demolition of historical Saint Paul’s Bankstown and redevelopment into a multi-purpose apartment tower. This TOD project has been one of worst examples of political miscarriages of justice in recent times and the following points are testament to that:
1). It has exposed CB City council management and councillors conflicts of interest with their own questionable political or individual agenda. With government agencies being “toothless tigers” when it comes to their ability to preserve history and heritage on board their juggernaut to achieve more & more accommodation for immigrants at the expense of existing residents and at the expense of our own heritage in this unprecedented massive destruction.
2). Local community submissions to council, state planning authorities, local MPs and Ministers of Heritage over the last 10 years in a bid to preserve this one of the oldest & most significant heritage in Bankstown have been ignored. It’s like talking to a brick wall.
3). CB council has on a number of occasions chosen to disregard the findings of their own commissioned independent consultants (who are experts in the field) into the heritage value of St Paul’s which defies logic. This suggests conflict of interest in the absence of any other motive. This activity coinciding with the advice from its own heritage committee and requests from Heritage NSW to reconsider the listing of St Paul’s as a local heritage item.
4). Furthermore we also question the motive of why TOD State Planning Authority have not tabled the CB City Council heritage assessment reports by Dr Sue Rosen & Associates & Dr Roy Lumby, president of 20th Century Heritage Society. (See Attachment 1), Peer Review by Geoff Ashley, principal of Ashley Built Heritage (See Attachment 2). Extent Heritage and GML Heritage (see Attachment 3) and Dr Sue Rosen and Geoff Ashley’s letter “New Information Supporting Heritage Listing" (see attachment 4). But only provided platform for GBA heritage and a Demolition Report commissioned by the Anglican Property Group with a disrespectful classification of St Paul’s memorial rose garden containing remains and ashes of parishioners, priest, war veteran and Bankstown local identities as “vegetation”.
We invite recipients to have a quick glance at the timeline of 10 years of ‘Toing and Froing’ of St Paul’s heritage journey". (see attachment 5).
We also provide you with more documents, images and video evidence published in SMH and Daily Telegraph (attachment 6,7 - Tania Mihailuk’s report to State Parliament on Bankstown Community College) and following website:
www.youtube.com/@savestpaulsbankstown
www.facebook.com/savestpulsbankstown
www.thegoodnewsblog.org
On behalf of Save St Paul’s Bankstown Inc

Hi,
I am writing to formally object to the proposed demolition of the historic Saint Paul’s building.

Saint Paul’s is not only a significant architectural landmark, but also a vital part of our community’s cultural and historical heritage. Its presence reflects the identity and legacy of generations past, and demolishing it would mean a permanent loss that cannot be replaced.
Preserving such sites is essential for maintaining a connection to our history. I strongly urge you to consider alternative solutions that would protect and restore the building rather than demolish it.
Thank you for considering this objection.

I am writing to formally oppose this application. I am writing not as an Anglican but as a long time resident of the Canterbury Bankstown Municipality. I am not opposed to the Bankstown TOD or development as such. I rather like Parramatta Square and wish we could have something like it in Bankstown. Nor am I opposed to the provision of social and affordable housing. I am, however, vehemently opposed to the demolition of St Paul’s Anglican Church Bankstown, (St Paul’s), in order to do so. People do need housing but they also need variety in their urban landscape. For a society to function well their heritage needs to be respected and preserved. A society that loses its heritage is a poor one. People feel very strongly about preserving heritage so much so that it seems it will be an issue in the next state election. I hope St Paul’s will still be standing by that time.

There are many reasons to save St Paul’s from demolition. My particular interest is in honouring both past and present parishioners of St Paul’s who had or still have a deep connections with this church both spiritually and otherwise. It is also to honour parishioners who are no longer with us. Many of whom helped to raise funds for the church to be constructed, died in the world war, have their ashes interred on the church premises and quite obviously cannot advocate for St Paul’s to be saved.

My other interest is in the craftsmanship that was involved in building St Paul’s. I will concentrate on the stained glass windows as these were not describing in length in any heritage reports that I’ve read on St Paul’s.

The stained glass windows were designed and made by master craftsman, Mr Martin van der Toorn who was an immigrant from The Netherlands. He eventually took over the stained glass company of John Ashwin and Co which was established in the 1800’s.
Before him there was a line of skilled continental European craftsmen that ran the company. When Martin van der Toorn took over he established himself in Lakemba which is in the Canterbury Bankstown Municipality. Mr van der Toorn won a competition which allowed to design and produce stained glass windows for the University of Sydney. There should be no doubt to his craftsmanship nor to the value of the windows at St Paul’s. These are works of art that should not be destroyed and thrown into a skip bin. This is another reason to save St Paul’s. The connection with Bankstown and migration is another.

As you may already know saving St Paul’s from demolition has been a long standing issue. This all began around 2015/2016 when the former Bankstown Council voted not to heritage list St Paul’s despite heritage reports available to them at the time which stated that St Paul’s was worthy on may counts of being heritage listed. (Report by Sue Rosen and Associates, peer reviewed by Ashby Heritage). Since then there have been other heritage reports which state that St Paul’s is not worthy of heritage listing. (Report by GBA Heritage and Weir Phillips Heritage). I’m sorry but I cannot agree with these later reports.

In an effort to save St Paul’s from demolition both the Canterbury Bankstown Council ( the council) and the NSW State Government (the state) has been repeatedly approached. This has resulted in this issue going backwards and forwards between the council and the state. It seems that no one can do anything about saving St Paul’s. Here are some arguments as to why St Paul’s cannot be saved - the church can’t be saved because it isn’t heritage listed, the state can only intervene if the church is in imminent danger of being demolished, the state can’t heritage list the church without the council’s support and so on and so forth. St Paul’s IS in imminent danger of being demolished. Why would the state need the support of council to heritage list St Paul’s? After all, the state not the council, is now involved with approving buildings that cost over a certain amount to build. This would be the case if a building of 23 storeys was built on St Paul’s site. If the state can approve buildings they can also deny them. I call upon the state to remedy this situation which had gone on for too long. I call upon the state to heritage listing St Paul’s and thereby to save it from demolition.

P.S: I have tried to attach newspaper articles showing Mr Martin van der Toorn at work and also an article mentioning him winning Uni of Syd component have not been able to do so. This information can be found at the State Library.

I strongly object to the demolition of St Paul's Anglican Church Chapel Road Bankstown. I am a built heritage specialist who was engaged by Canterbury-Bankstown City Council in 2016 to prepare a peer review of two conflicting heritage assessments of St Pau's. I strongly supported the assessment that St Paul's met multiple heritage criteria to justify heritage listing at a local level. Since then, I have made a number of submissions to both Council, and the State Government in relation to the TOD proposal confirming my assessment. I understand that the heritage consultants GML also identified it as a heritage item in a report they prepared for the NSW Government in relation to the TOD. St Paul's has strong historic, aesthetic and social heritage values. The corner location and associated townscape values of St Paul's would work well within a TOD development provide an important physical and social connection to Bankstown. St Paul's is a very important element in the cultural environment of Canterbury-Bankstown and must be retained. Attached is a joint letter between myself and consultant Dr Sue Rosen to Council in October 2023.

Bankstown Airport, C/O Aeria Management Group advise that this proposal at a height of RL108.1m will intrude into airspace for the airport by 57.1m, and the proposal will require assessment by CASA, Airservices, and DITRCA. Note also that at this height the building would be on the limit for the precision approaches (PANS OPS) for aircraft arriving at Bankstown, meaning it would not be able to be constructed without cranes infringing these critical surfaces, and even an aerial on top of the building will be an intrusion into airspace. We further advise a full aeronautical assessment and crane management plan would need to be provided to the authorities prior to any assessment and approval being provided. Attached is our 2024 response to the Bankstown TOD program outlining the same as above.

5th August 2025

SSD-79709963
Location: 459-461 Chapel Rd, Bankstown (Lots 26A, 27A and 28A in DP 7058)
Applicant: Anglican Church Property Trust Diocese of Sydney

Dear Sir/Madam,
As a concerned resident and visitor to St Paul’s, I am against the application for demolition. Saddened to see that the church with all the hard work done by people who built the church, the ongoing commitment of the people and congregation past and present, disregarded.

A beautifully constructed and historic building that has served the community for 111 years. The memorial of war hero Alan Maunsell who was a Sunday School Teacher. Private Bruce Marshall son of the minister Hugh Marsh and many other WWI and WWII veterans as well the ashes of the past ministers. This memorial in my opinion should all be left there to rest in peace out of respect. They all have a right to be remembered and to be honoured. I feel that it is disrespectful to build over the ashes of these fallen heroes and the past Ministers. Minister's ashes interred beneath the altar, Father Thomas Lawrence, and a war veteran, James Tebbutt, are interred on the site. The garden area contains ashes of WWII veterans, Bankstown notable identities like Engisch families, and Father Tony Wood and parishioners of total 35 plaques. The report from church incorrectly states as “vegetation” on the application with no mention of ashes of WWII veterans and WWI, and parishioners with memorial plaques.

It is important to note that in 2015, Bankstown City Council commissioned a detailed heritage assessment of St Paul’s, which concluded the site is locally significant and recommended immediate protection. St Paul’s church met all seven NSW Heritage Office criteria, including historical, aesthetic, social, and rarity values.
St Paul is qualified for heritage listing but Canterbury/Bankstown council didn’t take advice from the heritage consultants they commissioned.
The information on the TOD application, have used the one commissioned by diocese instead of the heritage report commissioned by council.

St Paul’s, established on land purchased in 1914 and consecrated in 1968, stands as a living testament to Bankstown’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage. Multiple independent heritage assessments—including those by Sue Rosen & Associates, Dr Roy Lumby, and GML Heritage (who were commissioned by Canterbury/Bankstown council)—have consistently affirmed the church’s local heritage significance and recommended its protection. The church’s architectural integrity, memorials, and the interment of parishioners and war veterans on site underscore its irreplaceable value.

The Canterbury-Bankstown Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2023 provides a framework for managing potential heritage. While St Paul’s is not currently a listed heritage item, Clause 5.10 requires consideration of the impact of any proposed development, including demolition, on the heritage significance of the site. Clause 2.7 states that “Demolition requires development consent,” and Clause 5.10(2)(a) requires consent for demolishing a heritage item or a building within a heritage conservation area. As St Paul’s possesses potential heritage significance, the State Government is obligated to ensure a comprehensive and independent assessment under Clause 5.10 before any demolition is considered. Demolition is irreversible; once St Paul’s is gone, its heritage value is lost forever.

Church was community land donated, built by parishioners. More churches are going into the housing market and is taking over our Australian history.
The community have donated so much over 110 years to the church.

This lovely church should be preserved and protected, as it qualified to be Heritage listed. People regret historic buildings being demolished along with their historic significance.
Unfortunately the Sydney Anglican Property managers don`t appear to acknowledge the historical and war memorial significance.

The location and inappropriateness of having a 23 storey building on a busy road of Chapel Road for such a large housing, which parking will be a huge problem with the congestion on the road will be greatly increase. Especially with the proposed new emergency hospital further up Chapel Road with so much traffic for ambulance, transport for patients and families and friends supporting the patients.
The basement car park consists of a total of 51 car parking spaces is not enough for units of 23 stories.

The Development Application (DA) for demolition (DA-438/2025 lodged 30/04/2025) has been lodged before any formal approval of the redevelopment itself, and before any evidence of construction funding has been provided.

I wish to object and ask to protect St Paul’s from being unnecessarily demolished especially as it qualifies for heritage and has significant War memorial personnel that made the ultimate sacrifice to be honoured.

Yours faithfully
Donna Mulholland

I am a parishioner of St Paul’s Bankstown for many years and attending Chinese service congregation. I am deeply saddened to know that the church I have been associated with, and with so much rich history of the past century will be demolished.
When minister circulated petition paper in our congregation to ask us to sign most of us have no idea what it was about.
Parishioners were only told if this petition is to make sure that St Paul’s church won’t be under the control by the Bankstown Council if St Paul’s is not heritage listed. Because ministers said God should be in charge not the council.
Many parishioners believed the church would be saved if we signed the petition handed out by the ministers.
My heart is absolutely broken when I realised that St Paul’s will be soon demolished. We will lose our beloved church forever.
Please help us to save Bankstown history and please save St Paul’s Bankstown for me for you for fallen war heroes for past parishioners for future Bankstown and for Australia as we don't have any heritage left as magnificent with rich war history as St Paul's.
Lest We forget.

My family and I migrated to Australia 25 years ag and we settled in Bankstown as our new home. I love Bankstown and I attended many special ceremonies and celebration at St Paul's with my family and friends. We love this unique landmark with rich history. We admired the hardworking parishioners, war heroes war veterans and local community who created this magnificent building over the 23 years time. The decision to demolish St Paul's Bankstown is horrible news to me and my family and friends. To our community and legacy of our war history will be forever lost.
St Albans Epping and St Paul's Bankstown both were built by the same Architect Norman McPherson and both completed in 1961. St Albans Epping is under the heritage protection by Parramatta Council while St Paul's is not heritage listed by Canterbury Bankstown Council facing the demolition. Why not?
Please save St Paul's Bankstown for our family and our community and future generation.

Re: Against the decision to demolish St Paul’s Anglican Church, Bankstown

I am an Australian/Egyptian Christian. Long term resident of Bankstown. I am totally against the demolition of historical St Paul’s. My home church St. Mary’s Coptic Church in Sydenham was the first Coptic church in outside Egypt and hold so much collective memories of past generation and wall veterans. Community rally to keep St Mary’s even Hon Anthony Albanese told in the parliament “if that is not heritage then what is?” Marrickville Council still demolished the church even after our parishioners raised $2million for restoration. Despite 10 years community lobby. This magnificent church like treasured museum was still demolished.

Now I am heartbroken again for the St Paul’s church Bankstown which holds our rich history of Bankstown pioneers and legacy with war heroes is now again under the imminent demolition.

“If this is not heritage, a war memorial church, completed post war after 23 years, contributed by hundreds and thousands from parishioners and local community. – then what is?"

Please help us to save St Paul’s Bankstown, this our God’s house. Please respect our Anzac. They are deserved to be Rest in Peace.

Lest we forget.

I disagree with all comments in support of application. No reason to pull down building

Kiersten Fishburn
Secretary
Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
4 Parramatta Square, 12 Darcy Street
Parramatta NSW 2124

Attention: Adam Flynn

Re: SSD-79709963 – St Paul’s Anglican Church site redevelopment at 459-461 Chapel Rd, Bankstown
1/8/2025
Dear Sir/Madam,
I’m a part of the St Paul’s Anglican Church community at Bankstown and a resident in the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA. I wanted to write to you in support of the development planned on the current St Paul’s site on the corner of Chapel Rd and French Ave.
Not only will this new development provide our church with the kind of facilities that fit the needs of a modern congregation, but our area desperately needs more affordable housing, and the St Paul’s site would be a great location for the new social and affordable homes that are planned.
I was very encouraged to see that these 185 apartments will go to people who are already on the government housing waitlist—especially older women and essential workers. We see the need firsthand in our church and neighbourhood, and this kind of project is exactly what we need more of.
I believe that having a new, fit-for-purpose home from which St Paul’s can serve the local community for generations to come will be a real blessing for Bankstown. However, it’s also great to see that the building will provide new spaces for community use outside of service times right in the heart of the Bankstown CBD. I know our church is excited that those spaces could be used for events and other programs that build genuine connection and support networks throughout our community.
To my mind, the building design looks fantastic and fits with the high-density nature of the area – in fact, I think it will make a real improvement to the Bankstown city centre, as will the new retail and commercial spaces that form part of the proposed development.
It would be a shame if this once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our community was missed.
Thank you for considering my submission. I think the project is a really positive step for the Bankstown community and I hope it receives approval.

Thank you for notifying Sydney Water of SSD-79709963 at 459-461 Chapel Road, Bankstown. Please see attached response, Growth Data Form and information sheet for the applicant.
If this response raises any enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact Sydney Water at [email protected].

I support this project