Roads and Maritime reviewed the submitted application and raises no objection to the Chau Chak Wing Museum development application at University of Sydney.

The University of Sydney's quadrangle sits on one of the only great, planned axes in Sydney, with a view across Victoria Park to the City of Sydney itself. It's cultural importance is huge and any proposal to disrupt the space should be subject to an extremely high standard of scrutiny. I do not doubt the need for a new museum, however, placing it where it is, in the blocky and rather unimaginative form proposed not only puts a large new freestanding building on one of the only pieces of European style landscaping left in the University, but interrupts the view from the quadrangle back to the city skyline and vice versa. As such, in placing the new museum in such a prominent and disruptive position, it seems to have become a vanity project for the project's proponents in the high administration rather than a project that seeks to resolve the collection management problems of the University's museums. I note that my concerns are generally supported in the minutes of the Heritage Council.

The destruction of two historic museums to get the public out of the way

I have been a member of the University of Sydney community for five years, potentially for another four, as a student and am currently a casual member of academic staff in the Sydney Medical School. As someone who has a deep attachment to the university, I feel very strongly about this and must make clear that I am comprehensively in opposition to the proposal. The siting is entirely inappropriate and it risks harming the heritage of the listed-Main Quadrangle, arguably the most significant grouping of gothic buildings in Australia today. Placing an eye-catching building in front of the Quadrangle is clearly unconscionable.

The strength of the University's Main Quadrangle lies in the integrity of its vistas to the city across Victoria Park, and reciprocally the views from the city towards the university. This principle has been central to the university's design philosophy since its establishment at the current site in the 1800's, and has been protected since.

The university has already taken steps to ruin its campus' heritage, spoiling the Madsen and Agriculture Buildings most recently with its construction of F23 Administration and FASS buildings respectively, though I regrettably did not speak out then. I feel most strongly and fervently that the Main Quadrangle's front lawns and vistas are crucial to be preserved. Cambridge for instance, would never dare try to place a competing building in front of King's College Chapel.

I have no urgent opposition or reservations about the design of the building itself, my criticism lies only with its siting. The currently standing tennis courts are far less visually intrusive. As a member of the university community, I strongly urge that the applicants reconsider and abandon their plans for any buildings on this current sensitive site.

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Please see attached.

Please see attached.