What is the proposal
The Links to the DAs and the supporting studies are provided below. Given the importance of the heritage studies we have also provided links to these reports.
Bays 1-5, Locomotive Workshop |
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SSDA
8517 Environmental Impact Statement.pdf (10.17 MB)
- Appendix
M_ Heritage and Archaeological Impact Statement_Part1.pdf (18.95 MB) - Appendix
M_ Heritage and Archaeological Impact Statement_Part2.pdf (7.619 MB) (from
page 40 this is Appendix B The 2016 Interpretation Strategy) - Appendix
M_ Heritage and Archaeological Impact Statement_Part3.pdf (12.36 MB) (This
is the balance of the 2016 Interpretation Strategy)
Bays 6-16, Locomotive Workshop |
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SSDA
8449 Environmental Impact Assessment .pdf (9.426 MB)
- Appendix
K_ Heritage and Archaeological Impact Statement.pdf (13.89 MB) (from
page 126 this is the 2016 Interpretation Strategy)
Extension
While the exhibition closes on 15 December we have been told that the Department is allowing late submissions given the combined size of the DAs. If you need an extension please email Annie.Leung@planning.nsw.gov.au
Submissions
Submissions are made through the Major Projects website at either Bays 1-5, Locomotive Workshop or Bays 6-16, Locomotive Workshop. If you make a late submission you may have to email it to the Departmental contact above as the on line submission area may have closed.
Alexandria Residents Action Group have put together a proforma submission that you can copy and change. The heritage information in the proforma submission is based on material provided to REDWatch by people with experience in the site and its heritage. You can see the proforma here.
Heritage Concerns
The DA is very clear what is
driving the proposed redevelopment in Bays 1-4a. In the words of the Heritage
Impact Statement: The key impacts in Bays 1-4a relate to the cumulative
impact of the chosen retail anchor – the supermarket, its associated loading
dock and travelator. (HIS page 6) … As a result, every effort has been
made by the design team to reduce, offset and mitigate the cumulative impacts
of introducing a supermarket, and its ancillary requirements, into Bays 1-4,
where possible. (HIS page 7)
From a REDWatch Heritage
perspective the key issues that need to be assessed are:
1)
How does the proposal deal with the heritage
fabric of the building? – While some concerns have been raised, the
proposal seems to addresses most of these issues
with the exception of a proposed loading bay in Bays 1 &2 and a travelator
connecting the supermarket to the Building 2 car park.
2)
How does the proposal deal with the active
heritage uses as represented by the Blacksmiths? – It is proposed that the
blacksmith space be continued and activity increased. However the introduction
of other retail uses into Bays 1 & 2 and retail activity in bays 3-5 may
have long term implications for the active use in Bays 1 & 2 if the retail
and heritage uses clash.
3)
How does the proposal deal with the moveable
heritage collection? – State Heritage at ATP is not just the building but
the significant collection of industrial machinery that Mirvac inherited as
part of the site purchase. How these items will be accessible and used to tell
the story of the processes, people and social history of the site is as crucial
as how the DA deals with the heritage building fabric. This information needs
to be on table before a final assessment is made to avoid the possibility that
the difficulties of dealing with the machinery collection would see them
sidelined in the push for commercialisation of the space they may otherwise
occupy. It is already likely that some material will be put into storage rather
than displayed all the time at the site – this was a concern raised when the
site was sold.
4)
How does the proposal deal with the heritage
space in Bays 1 & 2 which are available to tell the story of Eveleigh?
While the active area seems safe in the short term the balance of Bays 1 &
2 has been set aside for a loading bay to service the site and the supermarket
and for two retail spaces. This leaves little space to tell the Eveleigh
heritage story and to create a heritage drawcard. A heritage centre above the
loading bay seems inadequate compensation for the accessible space taken by the
loading bay. While the heritage story should be told across the site it is not
an alternative to a dedicated heritage space in Bays 1 & 2.
5)
How does the proposal deal with the social
and labour heritage of the site? For some time we have been arguing that
there needs to be a centre at Eveleigh which can act as a repository for worker
and social history for Eveleigh. There is an indication that this might be
possible in this proposal but there is no real detail. Like an exhibition space
its success will depend on ongoing resourcing to ensure that it is viable
rather than just another heritage plan for Eveleigh that looks good on paper
but never gets implemented.
This DA will determine the
future of Heritage at the Locomotive Workshop. It will determine if the
Heritage potential is tapped so people with a heritage interest will want to
come to the site for its heritage interpretation or if the heritage becomes
primarily the ‘public art’ sculpture backdrop for the new commercial and retail
precinct. There is much more at stake here than in the redevelopment of a
heritage building, here there is active heritage, the machinery and a heritage
dedicated space that need to be also appropriately handled in the DA. The
question for us all is – Has this DA done that or does the balance between
commercialising space and the heritage deliverables need to be adjusted.
REDWatch is arguing that the heritage aspects need to be strengthened.
Other Concerns that have been raised
There are other DA issues that
are likely to be of concern to local residents however here we have just
concentrated on the wider heritage issues that might otherwise escape
attention.
One significant implication from the proposal to place the loading bay for the site and supermarket off Innovation Plaza is that trucks entering the loading bay will be using some of the same route used by pedestrians going to and from Redfern Station. While larger trucks are proposed to enter only between 10pm and 7am smaller trucks will share the pedestrian route from innovation plaza to the the steps towards Redfern Station from 9.30 to 11.30am and from 2pm to 4pm. Of particular concern is the area
between the New Loco / Innovation Centre and the Managers Office where bikes
rounding the corner may well come face to face with a truck. Trucks will reverse through the northern portion of Innovation Plaza to enter the loading bay. The DA does not estimate the pedestrian traffic expected in this area it wants to further activate nor does it deal adequately with pedestrian, bike and now proposed truck conflicts. Access through this part of the site was to be protected by the access covenant Mirvac entered into when it purchased the site.