I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta Project because it will remove even more of the suburbs historical buildings through the demolition of Willowgrove and St Georges Terraces.
With so few historical buildings left in the area - to lose even more is unfathomable.
People thought that doing this to The Rocks area in the 70's was a good idea and now look at the place. We must preserve some of our colonial history in local areas, the same way we should preserve Aboriginal and Indigenous history where ever possible!

I object to the Powerhouse project.

I, like many others would like a world class museum in Parramatta. That museum should be a new concept, like a museum dedicated to the people’s origins and stories. I object to this MAAS proposal in its current form, and the closing of the Powerhouse in Sydney.

My objections are based on the following:

1. The heritage impact statement denigrates the heritage of Parramatta, by commenting that removal of these heritage items only has ‘minor cumulative impact’ , this is incorrect, as they are the last remaining Victorian Italianate free-standing villa and Victorian terraces in the Parramatta CBD.

2. The size of the MAAS precinct building at Parramatta has been continually misrepresented in public statements and media releases as larger than the real Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo. It is not. The Powerhouse Museum’s exhibition space is being downsized at Parramatta by 75%.

3. That the Council and fourteen thousand plus members of the local community continue to object to the removal of these heritage items.

4. The project originated during administration of the council and did not allow for community consultation and an elected voice.

5. That contrary to the architect’s statement, that the civic link ‘contain and release’ for the pedestrian experience, the current proposed design funnels pedestrian movement and blocks and impedes the Civic Link to the River.

6. The site sits in immediate proximity to the 1820 National Heritage Female Factory, our World Heritage Old Government House and Domain, and our diminishing 18th and 19th century heritage homes like: Brislington, Perth House, Harrisford, Houison Cottage, Blaxland Cottage, and many more. Parramatta was at the heart and the crossroads of 19th century enterprise and trade and all connections to the history needs to be respected.

7. This site is large enough to include the retention of the heritage items if it was to face and engage with the urban fabric of the CBD instead of the River.

In summation, Parramatta is the Cradle City and first food bowl of the Nation. We are now the central city of multi-cultural growth and wealth, and as such deserve and demand respect for our history and our story. Leave the Powerhouse where it sits, give us a Parramatta museum of heritage and culture, at a place that respects our first nation, colonial and immigration history.

I OBJECT TO THE POWERHOUSE PARRAMATTA

Area allocated is completely unsuitable for the flowing reasons:
1) It is prone to regular flooding which will get worse than estimated as climate change does take place.
2) No suitable parking is allowed for, even no handicap parking. With 2 million visitors expected per annum ( 5500 each and every day ) surrounding streets will become parking lots !
3) Parramatta does need open space instead of more concrete buildings to make the city more attractive for visitors.
4) As plans do show, much space is allocated for events like rock bands etc. This will cause a lot of noise in the affected area.
5) Willow Grove is one of the few historically significant houses left in Parramatta. Demolishing this will have a detrimental effect on the area.
6) St Georges terrace is of historical significance and should not be demolished.
7) a single loading dock projected for all commercial and cleaning activities will destroy the high sanitation standards required.

I herewith declare that I have never made a reportable political donation.
I have never been member of or have never been affiliated with any political party.
I have no objection in my name being published.

Signed
Johan A. Hagedoorn

Dear Department of Planning,

I object to the proposed Parramatta Powerhouse on the following grounds:

1. I don't believe heritage listed buildings should be bulldozed for the sake of building a museum on the land. It doesn't make any sense to me at all. This sets a dangerous precedent. Why heritage list buildings in the first place if they are simply going to be knocked down? I was under the impression that Museums cared about history.

2. The proposed building has less than 1/10th museum space, which doesn't make it a museum in my eyes. It is a glorified community hall, and a waste of taxpayer's money.

3. The Parramatta Powerhouse Project Team specifically informed us via a Zoom conference that there would be no parking available on site for this proposed project. How are regional and local school children going to travel to the site to make their visit worthwhile, when public transport can be a nightmare when working with Primary School aged children. For more local school children, they would spend longer travelling to the proposed site than making their way around it. This makes it particularly dangerous for children.

4. The proposed buildings doesn't blend in with the Parramatta riverfront very well does it?! It will forever be known as "The Milk Crate". Is that the reputation you're going for?

5. I noted that the Project team were going to conduct noise testing, during the lockdown period. How exactly were they going to test for those noise levels when the project designer's video shows thousands of people walking around and rock concerts and light shows at night? They were testing during a period when everyone was inside their homes, or at their places of work. It was a lockdown period. There was even a catwalk in the video! In a proposed Museum. Who'd have thunk it!!

6. I was informed by the Project Team in a zoom conference that the artifacts from the Ultimo Powerhouse would be stored at a separate location to the proposed Parramatta Powerhouse - in Castle Hill, I believe. Most of the artifacts from there would not be on display. If that is the case, why is the proposed "Parramatta Powerhouse" even called a Powerhouse? It won't be incorporating an existing powerhouse, and it has no relevance to the Ultimo Powerhouse any more. It doesn't deserve that name.

7. Where is Steam Engine #1 going to be displayed? The Project Team hadn't thought about that when asked. It doesn't seem like much thought has gone into the museum side of things at all.

8. I was personally informed by Lisa Havilah that the proposed Parramatta building was not going to be overwhelming for a child with Autism. "It's not that big" she said. I watched the designer's video last week and I can tell you that it definitely will be overwhelming for my 5 yr old diagnosed ASD child and she won't be attending this proposed building.

9. Our Premier stated in a morning press conference "There's nothing I love more than the sound of jackhammers, because that means jobs". How many museum jobs will be lost due to the closure of the Ultimo Powerhouse? At the very least 95, with more at stake. It was clear from her comment that the Premier was thinking only of construction projects, and not existing jobs.

10. The plans shown to us by The Project Team and the video from the designer clearly demonstrate that this is not a museum and therefore should not proceed on the site. It is disrespectful to the people in the Parramatta area to tell them one thing, and deliver something else entirely. This won't live up to the expectations that people have. It is not wanted, or warranted.

With all this in mind, I strongly urge you to reconsider this proposed project and save our heritage listed buildings, not knock them down for the sake of this eyesore.

I have not made monetary donations to any political party.

POINT 1 -
HERITAGE STRUCTURES ARE ASSIGNED THAT TITLE, NOT ON A WHIM.
AFTER A RIGOROUS PROCESS, AND MANY SUBMISSIONS BY LOCAL RESIDENTS AND/OR GOVERNMENT BODIES THE TITLE, 'HERITAGE LISTED' IS GIVEN TO A STRUCTURE OR AREA OF NATURAL HABITAT.
IT IS NOT A TITLE THAT CAN BE IGNORED BY ANY AUTHORITY WHETHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE THAT COMES ALONG AT A LATER DATE.
IF WE IGNORE THE 'HERITAGE' TITLE APPLIED TO THE EXISTING BUILDINGS ON THE SITE, WE MAY AS WELL DITCH THE TITLE ENTIRELY.
I BELIEVE THE OPERA HOUSE, ON THE SHORES OF SYDNEY HARBOUR, HAS SUCH A TITLE HOWEVER, I PREFER THE ORIGINAL FORTIFICATIONS AND TRAM SHED OVER THIS BUILDING.
IF WE APPLY THE CURRANT NSW GOVERNMENT'S STRATEGY TO THE OPERA HOUSE, IT MEANS THAT IN THE FUTURE, IF I SAY PURCHASED THE SITE, I COULD KNOCK IT DOWN AND BUILD A NEW, MORE MODERN LOOKING TRAM SHED FOR LIGHT RAIL/TRAMS, OF PERHAPS GUT THE INTERIOR TO PROVIDE SERVING FACILITIES FOR OUR LIGHT RAIL/TRAMS.
I'M SURE THAT EVEN THE DIMMEST OF INDIVIDUALS CAN SEE THE ABSURDITY OF THAT SCENARIO.
SO ... HOW CAN THE PARRAMATTA LOCATION BE APPROVABLE IF THE WORD 'HERITAGE' IS INVOLVED?
POINT 2 -
THE CURRANT NSW GOVERNMENT CLAIMS IT IS CREATING JOBS ALSO - WHICH IS A CROCK, GIVEN THAT MANY FOLK ALREADY EMPLOYED AT THE MUSEUM WILL HAVE TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE IF THEY LIVE TO THE EAST, NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE CITY, AS GETTING TO PARRAMATTA WILL BE JUST TOO DIFICULT. THIS IS JUST WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS WERE MOVED TO PARRAMATTA, AFTER HUGE SUMS OF MONEY WERE SPENT BY A PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT ON A NEW HEADQUARTERS CLOSE TO THE CITY.
JOB CREATION AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE ALREADY EMPLOYED AT A FACILITY IS NOT JOB CREATION, IT IS JOB THEFT.
POINT 3 –
LOCAL RESIDENTS IN PARRAMATTA AND SOME LOCAL AUTHORITIES, APPARENTLY DO NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE GOING TO GET WHAT WAS PROMISED ANYWAY.
TIME TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD ON THIS ENTIRE ISSUE.
POINT 4 –
IF THIS PROPOSAL GOES AHEAD, IT BEGS THE QUESTION WHAT OTHER VALUABLE ‘HERITAGE’ STRUCTURES AR AREAS OF NATURAL WONDER WILL BE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR ANOTHER MONSTROSITY.
PERHAPS PARLIAMENT HOUSE ITSELF, PRIME LAND IN AN IDEAL LOCATION, EXTREMELY SUITABLE FOR MULTI-STORY DEVELOPMENT. HOUSING, SHOPPING ETC.
SHOULD THE WORD ‘HERITAGE’ BE OVER-RULED HERE, IT WILL MEAN ‘NOTHING’ IS SAFE UNDER THAT TITLE.
REGARDS, ROSS McLEAN

I object to the project for the following reasons;

SPACE
- the project is now completely different from what was approved by Cabinet in 2018
- not a single space in either of the two buildings is specifically dedicated to museum exhibitions or the collection.
- the total public “presentation” space has shrunk from an initially stipulated 18,000m2 to 12,000m2 (compared with 21,400m2 in Ultimo), with a massive increase in commercial space. Every so-called presentation space is available for commercial hire, and designed to facilitate events and performances.
-there is only 25% of the climate controlled exhibition space that the Powerhouse has in Ultimo.
- no way has been identified for moving precious large objects into the building(s)
- there is no storage space for (any of) the collection
See Museum Expert Kylie Winkworth analysis http://tiny.cc/c0d6qz for details

- COSTS
Project costs have blown out from $200M (2015) to $1.4 billion - $1.8 billion (and rising!) http://tiny.cc/67d6qz
- the building cost alone is now approaching $1 billion
- unbudgeted future project costs include
- creation of storage space at Castle Hill because the “Milk Crates” cannot accommodate the Powerhouse’s unique large objects.
- the Ultimo precinct.
- the Parramatta River bridge.
- the whole collection move.
- marketing, exhibition design/installation, public relations.
- staff acquisition and training.
- conservation and restoration of objects for both move and display purposes.

- BAD PLANNING
The proposed structure is NOT a recognisable museum, CAN’T operate as a museum, and it would be impossibly costly if this were attempted because
- the flood amelioration budget has been cut, increasing risks for contents and for visitors.
- almost entire loss of functional office space for staff, of back-of house working space and adequate “vertical transportation” (lifts and escalators) for visitors, staff and materials.
- a single loading dock (down from two) for all commercial and cleaning activities will destroy the high sanitation standards required by museological functions.
The dock must serve two buildings, events for up to 10,000 people, 10 cafes and bars, a retail hall, 40 apartments, a school boarding house, the bump in bump out for concerts, a cinema, conferences and commercial hire, museum objects on hire rotation and international travelling exhibitions, along with food waste, laundry and rubbish...
There is not one parking space, and not even a loading zone.

I wholeheartedly object to this destructive, insidious and ignorant waste of money representing the loss of the public domain in favour of private interests. The fact that the NSW Government is thinking of moving a museum dedicated to protecting, preserving and promoting our state's diverse heritage to a site that will result in the wholesale destruction and obscuring of it, offends me and it should offend all thoughtful people of this state not wedded to the vested interests behind this embarrassing project.

Moving the Powerhouse Museum, which has a mandate to hold "material heritage and stories of Australian culture, history and lifestyle, providing a comprehensive insight into this rich and diverse country", from its specially-designed location in Ultimo to a flood-prone site in Parramatta which entails the destruction of several heritage items is bad enough. However, the proposed design for the Parramatta site is mediocre in design, with a cubic modernist 'milk crate' style that is excessive in bulk and scale and does not respond to the purpose of the Powerhouse Museum or the history of Parramatta and covers an excessively large proportion of the proposed site. So much so that apparently it was impossible to retain and incorporate the two heritage items on the site, namely Willow Grove House and St Georges Terrace. In March 2019 prior to the election, Premier Berejiklian noted the intention to save the 1870 'Willow Grove' house on the site of the new museum, and now has completely ignored all advice to save it and plowed ahead with a totally unsympathetic design that entails the wholesale destruction of these heritage items.

Not only is it obvious that a more sensitive design could achieve a better result that saves these heritage items, but the case studies that show this principle in action are so obvious it seems embarrassing that the NSW Government has been so arrogant in discounting them. In so many cases museums and developments have been able to occur that can incorporate or preserve the heritage of their site, such as the retention of the nearby Brislington House as part of the development of the Parramatta Court precinct or the restoration/discovery of the 1859 'Cypress hall' on City Road, Camperdown and its incorporation into a student housing development. Instead of wiping the slate clean for an entirely new development, cleansed of any historical associations of the site (save for some tokenistic 'interpretation' that in no way excuses the cultural vandalism being perpetrated against Parramatta and this state by the loss of these heritage items), it is obvious and definitely possible to retain these two items and still have a development that can go ahead in some form.

I feel it important to register my extreme frustration with a government totally obsessed with profit and excessive development over the lives and culture of the people and communities they affect. The social history of Willow Grove as a longstanding maternity hospital and the importance of these surviving buildings in the centre of Parramatta despite all the development pressures, and the unsurprising community outrage over this proposal’s destruction of heritage, underscores the significant impact that their demolition will have on the cultural landscape of Parramatta.

Heritage items are an important component of a community's sense of place and belonging, and to have them discarded in such a cavalier way to make way for a fake Powerhouse Museum that won't have the same display space for its collection as the Ultimo site and will instead be a glorified convention centre, shows just how far from the public interest this proposal is. As the President of the Australian Institute of Conservation of Cultural Materials noted recently “this process is not committed to creating a world-class museum but having a museum as one of many changing sources of entertainment on the site.” Indeed, the plans submitted for this proposal demonstrate that this ‘fake Powerhouse Museum’ will have no (or very limited) permanent displays, particularly when compared to Ultimo and no on-site permanent storage for museum’s collection. Was not one of the original reasons for the museum move so that all the collection could be displayed? The museum’s administration will be primarily moved to an expanded Discovery Centre at Castle Hill, and the Parramatta site will be mostly for shows, and ‘convention’ style events and corporate functions. The deception that this proposal is a museum move is exposed for all to see.

Clouding the issue by pitting this museum move issue with an 'inner city vs. western Sydney' bent is a divisive simplistic straw man argument that discounts the fact of the people of Parramatta that also reject this unsympathetic proposal. The attitude that says, 'Parramatta needs this investment' regardless of the cost involved is such a reckless attitude. There is no doubt that Parramatta would significantly benefit from cultural investment including a new museum, but this pseudo-public development that is a private housing high-rise and convention centre in disguise, is certainly not the way to go about it, and certainly not in the way that entails the destruction of rare and significant cultural heritage. The current planning regime that allows the state government to declare sites subject to 'state significant' status, allowing them to 'turn off' heritage listings and do whatever they like, is a classic case of a government that has one rule for themselves, and another rule for everyone else.

The protection of our built heritage is an important principle for me, and heritage is something that I appreciate and enjoy on a daily basis. If they can do this in Parramatta there really is nothing stopping them from doing the same to communities anywhere else, from one end of the state to the other. It is not even primarily a museum, with much of the proposed space dedicated to impermanent exhibition halls, it is a glorified convention centre. There are so many other alternatives, including retaining the Ultimo Powerhouse site alongside creating a new Parramatta Museum or a Powerhouse Parramatta Branch (or at least being honest a calling this proposal what it actually is, the 'Parramatta Convention Centre'), and a sensitive design that allows for the retention of Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace, it boggles the mind that we have arrived at this point after six years and over $14 million of public money expended on trying to get this ‘square peg’ fit into this round hole. The proposed design is similar to the actual state of this proposal, full of holes and not fit for purpose; this proposal is cultural vandalism and it should be rejected. It is not a 'Powerhouse move' it is a Powerhouse expulsion.

I request that my name be withheld from the publication of this submission.

I object to the proposed Parramatta Powerhouse Museum because it is the wrong museum, in the wrong scale, in the wrong location, for all the wrong reasons.

There is no logic to closing and/or relocating the existing city-based museum. It has worked perfectly as a family-oriented tourist attraction where it is now. With a suitable budget the Powerhouse could be revitalised to again contribute positively to the city as it has done for so many years in the past.

Sydney really needs an extra museum, and particularly one in western Sydney which could bring joy and pride to the local population and become a drawcard for tourists to the region. Parramatta is an obvious location because of its transport links but need not be seen as the only suitable host for such a venue in western Sydney.

I personally would love to see a specialist museum focused on Indigenous history, art and culture. This is sadly lacking in Sydney and would be a superb addition to the life of the city generally. Its location in western Sydney would support local Aboriginal communities and be a huge educational asset.

Such a museum would become a focus for the regeneration of an entire precinct and should be considered as an economic stimulus. It would not require a boastful and showy edifice such as is currently proposed which, in striving to be 'World Class', is out of scale and totally inappropriate to its site. It also requires the destruction of rare surviving heritage buildings and the existing river zone. The excessive cost and construction time reflects just how uncomfortably it sits on the suggested site. It is a loud and monstrous interloper where something quieter and more welcoming could more happily live.

Overall, the destruction of the existing Powerhouse, the banishment of most of its collection into storage for years if not forever and the corresponding destruction of a large part of Parramatta, its heritage and its river, will lead to no positive outcomes. The costs will far outweigh the potential benefits of doing something better.