As earlier
advised the State Heritage listed Large Erecting Shop (LES) within the historic
Eveleigh Railway Workshops is on exhibition to be rezoned. You can find some
details on the REDWatch website at Large Erecting Shop rezoning proposal
Exhibition until 24 Nov 2022.

Following
questions from REDWatch, DPE has reissued an updated Explanation of intended effect amended 10 November 2022. The
Additional Uses map and associated explanation has been removed after late
changes to the loading bay in the proposal were not reflected in the earlier
Explanation of Intended Effect.

Heritage Principles to consider for the LES
rezoning

Heritage
considerations are central to the rezoning and redevelopment of a State
Heritage Registered item like the Large Erecting Shop. In the North Eveleigh
Paint Shop exhibition we saw for the first time the Overarching Conservation
Management Plan (OCMP) for the entire Eveleigh Railway Workshop (ERW) heritage
precinct. The OCMP was updated for the Paint Shop Exhibition and this is the
link to it – Updated Eveleigh Railway Workshops Overarching Conservation
Management Plan.

The OCMP considered
the heritage values of the overall Eveleigh site and created seven overarching
heritage management principles with 32 accompanying policies to ensure that the
state heritage values of the overall precinct are maintained as part of any
future development.

The OCP
Eveleigh Railway Workshop (ERW) Heritage Management Principles are reproduced
below to guide heritage discussion about the LES which is covered by the OCMP:

HMP 1. All future decisions should be based on
an understanding of the heritage values of the place and with a view to retain
the identified significant values.
HMP 2. A coordinated approach to management of
the individual precincts and areas within the ERW site should be undertaken by
future owners to ensure that future decisions are based on consideration for
the heritage significance of the whole ERW and its overall presentation.
HMP 3. The ERW site is assessed as being of
state significance and therefore any future owners and managers of the site and
its individual precincts should manage the place in accordance with
best-practice heritage guidelines.
HMP 4. Proposals for change should not unduly
affect the significant heritage values of the ERW site and its individual
precincts and should facilitate understanding of the place and its heritage
values.
HMP 5. The history and significant values of the
ERW site and its individual precincts should be interpreted, including within
any future redevelopment and reuse of the site where existing elements are to
be removed or modified. The place should be interpreted as a major railway
workshop facility.
HMP 6. Skilled conservation professionals should
be engaged to advise on, document and/or implement conservation and upgrading
work and future development proposals for heritage assets of the ERW site and
its individual precincts.
HMP 7. Planning for new development, adaptive
reuse of heritage assets and heritage interpretation should include
opportunities for community consultation.

These
overarching principles should guide the redevelopment of the LES and hence
provide a measuring stick for those making submissions to assess the current
proposal.

REDWatch’s
initial concerns over the LES Proposal

No
Pedestrian Linkage nor even a place for one

TAHE / TfNSW must include a provision for
the bridge to land in South Eveleigh between the LES and the Locomotive
Workshop.

On the North
Eveleigh side TAHE / TfNSW acknowledged that there was interest in a bridge
connecting North and South Eveleigh and said it would be possible to land on
the North Eveleigh site even if the bridge was out of scope and not being
funded by Government – see Eveleigh Link Bridge – North Eveleigh Bates
Smart Page 324.

On the South
Eveleigh side where the Bridge would need to land near the LES there is no
mention in any document of a pedestrian and cycle-bridge nor what provision is
being made by TAHE / TfNSW / Mirvac for it to land on the site.

Transport Assets Holding Entity (TAHE) /
TfNSW must deliver on the promised (and historical) connection

As REDWatch
has pointed out during the North Eveleigh exhibition, the NSW Government has
been collecting funds towards such a bridge as part of the Redfern-Waterloo
Contributions Plan. In addition when the Australian Technology Park (ATP) site
was sold, the NSW Government pocketed the money that the ATP had separately
committed towards building the bridge.

Now TAHE is
benefiting from redeveloping both sides of the railway line (North Eveleigh and
the LES) it should build the bridge that connects both sides of the line.

In the recent
Clothing Store Precinct workshops TAHE indicated it was looking at the
feasibility of at least holding on to parts of North Eveleigh rather than
selling it all off to a developer. If TAHE is to be a long term investor in
North Eveleigh then it would stand to reap a significant benefit from the site
being connected to South Eveleigh and the pedestrian flows that would create.

Come on TAHE Build the Bridge!

Extend
the South Eveleigh Access and Protections to the LES

If the LES is
to be passed to Mirvac to run, then the new site must be subject to the other
protections put in place when the ATP was sold to Mirvac. These protections
included Positive Covenants and Easements to protect public access to this
privately owned land and its facilities. It also made Mirvac treat heritage
equipment in the same way it would be treated if still owned by Government and
on a section 170 register. It also included a covenant to land a cross-railway
connection bridge on Mirvac’s land and the right to access the heritage items
held at South Eveleigh.

If the LES is
to be sold or leased to Mirvac to run as part of South Eveleigh, then the South
Eveleigh protection provisions need to be extended to the land made available
to Mirvac at the LES. The transfer of roadways to Council should also be
aligned.

Identify
the Moveable Heritage Items associated with the LES

REDWatch
notes that the Non-Aboriginal Heritage Study p16 states: “The scope of the Rezoning
Proposal does not include specific details about the proposed treatment,
management, and incorporation of the significant moveable heritage collection
associated with the LES”.

REDWatch
argues that identifying the moveable heritage that needs to be incorporated
into the LES heritage interpretation is central to the decision about how much
commercial floor-space should be allowed. If, like Carriageworks, there is
little then this leads to a different outcome to the situation in the
locomotive workshop where heritage equipment is in storage as there is not room
to display it.

There has
been a history at the former ATP of losing heritage items as shown by each
update of the register. Clearly Mirvac and TAHE want to fit the maximum floor
space into the LES shell. That decision should only be made when it is know
what moveable heritage needs to be displayed.

Prior to floor
space being allocated TAHE, TfNSW, Transport Heritage NSW and Mirvac need to
determine what s170 items belong to the LES and will be available for heritage
interpretation. The list in the Heritage Study indicates what is currently in
the LES, some of which will move to Chullora when there is space for it. Other
parts of TfNSW may also hold equipment of heritage significance to the LES.

Space in and
around the LES must allow public access to the machinery collection within the
LES at least for heritage events and preferably items should be totally visible
from the publically accessible areas of the LES. Heritage items should not be
privatised into tenant only areas.

Special
consideration should be given by Transport Heritage NSW and TfNSW to locate of
at least one locomotive that was constructed at the LES for heritage
interpretation purposes on the site.

Keep
an active line into or alongside the LES for heritage visits

The LES and
the line to its south are among the last active connections to the rail
network. To facilitate visits for heritage rail equipment to South Eveleigh an
active line to the rail network should be retained. This could be on the line
to the South of the LES or a line within it. If an active line is lost it will
never return and we will have a heritage rail precinct that are inaccessible
for functioning railway heritage assets.

Preserve
Heritage Vistas with the LES

REDWatch
welcomes the planned proposal for the eastern end of the LES to be open to
retain the sense of scale across the building.

REDWatch is
concerned however that the east west scale of the building has not been
similarly preserved. The narrow separation between the development within the
LES shell and the LES is insufficient to give a true sense of the length nor
the purpose of the building.

REDWatch
thinks it would be more appropriate for one track within the LES to be exposed
for the full length of the building. This would enable space for s170 items and
for the interpretation of how the building was used.

If handled
well, the LES could be a heritage complement to Bays 1 and 2 in the Locomotive Workshop
and an opportunity for heritage interpretation and heritage tourism.

REDWatch is
also concerned that the loading bay on the south western end of the LES will
interrupt the east-west vista if it is on the southern side of the building, so
a northern vista may be preferable to a special treatment of the loading bay to
provide some transparency and sight line to the western door.

Reduce
the Development Floor Space

REDWatch
agrees with Council that introduction of two internal floors across most of the
width of the building will take away from the scale and characteristics of the
large space linked to its historic use. Introducing larger voids will require a
decrease in floor space, but potentially a better balance between commercial
and heritage uses in this state heritage listed building.

REDWatch
hence is of the view that, subject to testing, a Floor Space Ratio (FSR) of 1.8
– 2.0:1 would be more appropriate that the 2.5:1 proposed for the three level
development proposed within this heritage building.

Council
Areas of Concern

You can see the City
of Sydney Submission on Large Erecting Shop Rezoning Proposal. For easy
reference when people are thinking about their submissions we have included the
summary points of concern to Council that were made available before the submission was released.

The City
argues that the future DA should not be declared state significant as proposed,
and that the City should be the consent authority.
A bridge connecting
North and South Eveleigh should be considered.
Part of
the building should be considered for heritage tourism.
The City
supports the retention of the external heritage fabric, but is concerned the
introduction of two internal floors will take away from the scale and
characteristics of the large space linked to its historic use and the low
ceilings will result in poor amenity. The City
recommends larger voids and reducing the floor space.
The
Redfern Waterloo Authority Contributions Plan is outdated and does not account
for this additional development. The City recommends that the RWA Contributions
Plan be rescinded and the City’s development contributions plan should apply.
The City
is concerned there is no commitment to affordable workspaces.
The City
suggests this site could contribute to the late-night economy, given its
location next to the railway.
The City
is concerned about the design of the public domain, particularly Locomotive
Street, and suggests the City’s public domain, streets and tree planting
policies are applied.
The City
recommends a reduction in car parking given the site’s location.
The City
recommends the application be subject to a design competition.
The
project must be informed by the Connecting with Country Framework, in
accordance with the Government Architect NSW policy.
The City
asks for higher sustainability targets in its development, operation and waste
management.

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REDWatch Update on LES Exhibition until 24 November

The
Large Erecting Shop Exhibition until 24 November 2022