A Conversation about Conservation

The courtyard at 17-31 Cowper st (source: Ian Stephensen)

A recent development proposal is planning to excise land of heritage significance in Glebe. The the proposal would demolish buildings in a heritage area to replace them with two new 8-storey apartment buildings for private and housing department tenants.

The demolition of post 1974 public housing, which is recognised in the LEP as being of heritage significance  is particularly regrettable in respect of the building at 17-31 Cowper Street which is of high architectural merit. It will destroy the scale of this part of Glebe by creating a precinct of three high rise buildings; creating a precedent for more high rise development on the 1980s infill sites and blurring the architectural character of Glebe and Ultimo.

Credit: Ian Stephenson

In a recent presentation Ian Stephenson, formerly Senior Curator with the National Trust (NSW), Director of Historic Places in Canberra and CEO of the National Trust for South Australia, identified the impacts that this development would have on the character of Glebe.

To accommodate for the new buildings, the maximum building height will be 36 metres, up from 9 metres, creating concern that this might lead to a new precedent that allows for more high rise apartment buildings on similar sites from the 1980s.

Stephenson also expressed concern about the design of the buildings, stating that their Edwardian brick style was “characteristic of Ultimo and Pyrmont, not Glebe.”

Stephenson states in the report that he is concerned that the new developments will “[blur] the architectural character of Glebe and Ultimo.”

If you would like to read more about the proposal the official proposal details can be found here.

You can read more about Ian Stephenson’s conservation presentation by downloading the PDF version of the presentation below

Have any thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.