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State Significant Development

Determination

Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal

City of Sydney

Current Status: Determination

Interact with the stages for their names

  1. SEARs
  2. Prepare EIS
  3. Exhibition
  4. Collate Submissions
  5. Response to Submissions
  6. Assessment
  7. Recommendation
  8. Determination

Concept Proposal for the renewal of Powerhouse Ultimo

Attachments & Resources

Notice of Exhibition (1)

Request for SEARs (1)

SEARs (1)

EIS (39)

Response to Submissions (21)

Agency Advice (17)

Additional Information (10)

Determination (4)

Approved Documents

There are no post approval documents available

Note: Only documents approved by the Department after November 2019 will be published above. Any documents approved before this time can be viewed on the Applicant's website.

Complaints

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Enforcements

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Inspections

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Note: Only enforcements and inspections undertaken by the Department from March 2020 will be shown above.

Submissions

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Showing 41 - 60 of 112 submissions
Name Withheld
Object
NEUTRAL BAY , New South Wales
Message
I object because it is stupid. It is not civilized.
Every capital city that I have visited has their main museums in the capital cities and satellite museums in other provincial cities.
Would London move their Victoria and Albert and Science Museums to suburban locations? Of course they would not!
So why are we?
Clive Lucas, OBE
Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, Investment NSW
Support
SYDNEY , New South Wales
Message
Please find attached a letter of support from the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner.
Attachments
Judith Matheson
Object
CAMPERDOWN , New South Wales
Message
I, JUDITH MATHESON, am writing to OBJECT to the EIS in respect of the redevelopment of the Ultimo Powerhouse Museum site for the following reasons:
The proposed plan for the site is a museum in name only. The EIS does not take into account the intention to radically alter the museum’s purpose, form, functions and facilities. The world class collection of the Powerhouse Museum will largely be reduced to a backdrop to support the creative installations of artists and designers, rather than its intended purpose to provide informal and formal learning opportunities for the whole community.
The current museum building was designed for a working life of 100 years and yet these wholesale changes are recommended only 35 years later. The original complex was itself an outstanding example of structural infill and adaptive reuse of an old powerhouse. This architectural philosophy has become even more important in the years since as governments works to reduce our carbon emissions. The enormous redevelopment cost of $500m, which largely ignores the building’s intended purpose, cannot be justified on environmental or sustainability grounds. The Powerhouse will not be saved, as the now Premier announced on 4 July 2020. Under this proposal, it will disappear!
Further the lack of transparency around the business case and future plans for the old tramshed building (Harwood), which has been excluded from this proposal, need to be addressed and made public so that the long-term plans for the whole site can be assessed. The piecemeal approach to developing the future of one of our state’s great cultural initiations does no credit to the government and its planners.
The current EIS should be rejected.
Stewart Reed
Object
NEUTRAL BAY , New South Wales
Message
My submission, including my name and address is attached as a Word documnet.
Attachments
Name Withheld
Object
WILLOUGHBY EAST , New South Wales
Message
I am concerned that the cost of this project when state budgets are tight is somewhat of a luxury and unnecessary. It does not guarantee that the existing transport, space, steam and science exhibits would be retained at Ultimo. As a significant science and technology museum it should be retained in the Sydney CBD.
Name Withheld
Object
Chatswood , New South Wales
Message
Please see attached pdf which contains the following words and some images:

As a registered architect who was previously the chair of the AIA(NSW) Heritage Committee with a passion for exemplary architecture by local architects in Australia
I note the following Items of Concern relating to this SSDA:
The application Indicates the redevelopment area to include the Award winning, internationally recognised, Adaptive Reuse buildings of the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo competed 1988.

The scope of the SSDA appears to have increased and differs from the public consultation webinar provided by Ethos Urban with regards the proposed view from Pier Street:


With reference to other visualisations provided in the SSDA:







• The Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo is a Sulman Award winning project, receiving the Sir John Sulman Award in 1988, and is of significant importance to the architectural profession in NSW. The Sulman Award is the highest ranked award by the Australian Institute of Architects (known as the AIA) in NSW.

• The Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo has also received the following awards:
The Presidents Award for Recycled Buildings – NSW Public Works Dept with Denton Corker Marshall
The Belle Interiors Award for Interior Design
The Sir Zelman Cowan Award Finalist
At the time, it was the first project ever to have been nominated in 3 categories in the National Architecture Awards.

• The Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo is an exemplar of adaptive reuse, retaining original industrial fabric, and predates the Tate Modern in London (also an adaptive reuse of a Powerstation). It joins other eminent examples of adaptive reuse such as the Musee d’Orsay in Paris (an adaptive reuse of a railway station, opened in 1986).

• The Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo is an example of the work of NSW Government Architect’s Office with Lionel Glendenning as Principal Architect and JW Thomson, Government Architect

• The Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo was the first of many significant buildings on Harris Street to fulfill the Masterplan concept of Harris Street as the technological conduit of Sydney. Its location and scale is also in keeping within the current Master Plan for the Pyrmont Ultimo area.

It not only forms a direct link with the Original Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences building on Harris St, but also generated the scale of buildings that followed:
eg the ABC headquarters, the Ultimo Community Centre and the Ian Thorpe Swimming pool.

• The current heritage listing for the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo is incomplete as it only includes 2 buildings on the site.

• The scope of the SSDA indicates high rise development along Harris St to replace the Wran Building, Galleria and Harris St Forecourt. This is not in keeping with the stated aims of the EIS principles on Urban Design: “…maintain or increase the quality or quantity of the public domain on the site, and reveal and celebrate heritage fabric and spaces to the wider public domain’

• The Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo of 1988 adaptive reuse including the additions of the Wran Building and Galleria was designed in direct response to the unique and varied collection that it housed. The form and scale of the Wran Building and Galleria responded to the large objects such as significant railway engines and a direct rail link from Central Railway station.

I have gleaned from press regarding the Museum’s collection, that the engines will be retained at Ultimo and therefore the Wran Building and Galleria must also be retained. As you know, the rail tracks from Central to the Powerhouse have been preserved under the new Goods Line redevelopment for future posterity and resurrection.

• The Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo (including the former Ultimo Tramways Powerhouse together with the 1988 adaptive reuse and Additions) is on the AIA (NSW) Register of Significant Buildings – which recognises architectural merit, high architectural qualities, and important works from leading architects and architectural practices.

• The context and history of this place is significant to the history and development of Sydney and NSW.

• A recognisable presence in Sydney is important for Sydney to be acknowledge as an international player in Architecture, Adaptive Re-Use and Museums of Applied Arts and Applied Sciences.

• The visual impact of the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo has been significantly eroded by recent development at Darling Harbour. Whilst the reorientation of the entry toward Darling Harbour is welcome, the proposed height, scale and bulk of proposed development on Harris St is detrimental and insensitive to the existing streetscape, urban scale, existing buildings and amenity in the area.

• The Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo benefits the educational aspirations of current and future generations and is a tourist attraction.

• Removing buildings that are able to be renewed or further adapted to respond to current contexts and requirements is a deleterious action with regards environmental sensitivity, waste of resources & embodied energy, and reduction of the serious impacts of climate change.

• The proposed scope and bulk in the SSDA clearly demonstrates a detrimental visual impact to the important, existing buildings on the site.
Attachments
Jennifer Reath
Object
Ultimo , New South Wales
Message
The down grade of the museum and the use of the Harris St aspect of the site are not in keeping with what has been strongly advocated by the local community. This risks a treasure I have enjoyed with my children and grandchildren over the past 35 years.
Please reconsider and re- engage with the local community!
Name Withheld
Object
EPPING , New South Wales
Message
I wish the Powerhouse Museum to stay as it is.
Name Withheld
Object
PYRMONT , New South Wales
Message
I object to the idea that this “renewal” is suggested to be classified as ‘State significant’ because this allows it to go forward without consideration for issues such as Local Government approval. This process requires open and meaningful public consultation - not another railroad attempt to ignore legitimate concerns
Brian Stokes
Object
LINDEN , New South Wales
Message
Dear NSW DPE

I am writing in opposition for the plans to change the primary form and function of the Powerhouse Museum. The proposed changes eliminate the science and technology focus of the museum (which the proposal now no longer recognises as a museum), which are demonstrably the most popular features of the Powerhouse.
I write to OPPOSE the misnamed “Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal” State Significant Development (SSD) application currently on exhibition at https://pp.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/powerhouse-ultimo-renewal

I believe that the objective of this project, as the community demands, should be a Powerhouse Museum “REVIVAL”, ie to restore the museum to its former imposing status as a world-leading Applied Arts and Sciences Museum, not to completely change and degrade it through the so-called “Renewal” proposed.

The proposal to transform the current Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) into a Fashion And Design Information and Education Facility (ie no longer a museum) constitutes a significant downgrading of the institution.
- ‘Fashion and Design’ are only a small part of Applied Arts.
- ‘Fashion’ targets a very narrow segment of the public and does not attract children, a traditionally large proportion of the Museum’s visitors.
They are the future Scientists of Australia.
Downgrading the museum by turning it into a fashion and design “facility” will drastically
decrease visitation.
This is already obvious as the current Powerhouse dress, pottery & photographic exhibits attract little interest while the original technical sections are always full of family & school groups.

2 years ago the NSW Government halted the plans to demolish the heritage listed Powerhouse Museum as it exists in Ultimo after a massive community outcry. Assurances were given that this plan would be stopped. Clearly, the promise has been broken. The regularly flooded proposed site for the 'Parramatta Powerhouse' museum is insufficient to house most of the science and technology exhibits from Ultimo. The NSW government demolished heritage structures Willow Grove and St George's Terrace with a promise that they would be sensitively disassembled and rebuilt. Instead, these were summarily destroyed and cannot be reconstructed.

A 100 year planned life museum at Ultimo is being scrapped at a huge cost and in opposition to the clearly stated demands of the majority of NSW reisdents, whom I remind you, are voters.

This 'renewal' plan must be stopped.

Regards

Brian Stokes
4 Caley Lane
Linden NSW 2778
Andrew Simpson
Object
EPPING , New South Wales
Message
The materiality of fashion and design is a subset of the materiality of the aplied arts and sciences. There is no arguement or justification made on why the nature of collecting by the state on behalf of the people of NSW should be restricted in this way. It therefore represents a downgrading of the provision of cultural services in a state that has already withdrawn from collecting in areas of social and scientific history. Apart from this withdrawal from state responsibility for cultural provision, no argument of justification in offered as to why the heritage values of the existing building configuration in Ultimo can be dismissed by the proposed redevelopment.
Jacksons Landing Community Association
Object
Pyrmont , New South Wales
Message
The Jacksons Landing Community Association manages the physical property of the Jacksons Landing Estate and looks out for the interests of residents. Many residents of Jacksons Landing and our neighbours have worked as volunteers while the Powerhouse was a museum, and we share their dismay that their expertise has been disregarded.
Many Jacksons Landing residents have voiced their concern and dismay at the dismantling of the Powerhouse Museum and the intended removal of artefacts and displays illustrating the technological and social history of the Pyrmont peninsula. Transforming this world-class museum into a general information and education facility focussing on fashion and design seems to be a politically inspired and culturally short-sighted manoeuvre.
Among many items which will now be stored and inaccessible in a remote warehouse are a scale model of Jacksons Landing itself, and many items associated with the Harris family, including two Sydney Lord Mayors.
We are aware that residents’ opinions have been sought and expressed. We see no evidence, however, that their opinions and the interests of Pyrmont and Ultimo residents have been heard. We hope it is not too late to engage in a serious, non-partisan analysis of the site, its scientific and social value, and its potential.
Mary Mortimer OAM
Chair, Jacksons Landing Community Association
Name Withheld
Object
Wallan , Victoria
Message
I am opposed to the plan to declare the Power
House Museum as a State Significant Development.
This plan will destroy the Powerhouse and its significance as a science and engineering museum.
It should be retained as a science and engineering museum and not turned into something that is totally incompatible with its current format.
Name Withheld
Object
Chippendale , New South Wales
Message
Refer attached submission.
Attachments
Jana Vytrhlik
Object
PADDINGTON , New South Wales
Message
I am writing to OBJECT to the EIS in respect of the redevelopment of the Ultimo Powerhouse Museum (now Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences) site for the following reasons:
Unlike the current redevelopment plan, which is short-sighted and lacks substance in its vision for the future, the Powerhouse Museum had always – until the critical changes in leadership during the first decade of the 2000s - lived up to its original concept from the 1980s: connect and cross-pollinate industrial and technological innovations with arts, social history and with broad sweep of contemporary issues. That’s what the Powerhouse Museum project was conceived like in the 1980s conceptually, architecturally, intellectually and most of all curatorially. Nothing like the Powerhouse Museum existed in Europe in the 1980s. It was only after 2000 when the major, and many abandoned, industrial sites in Europe and the UK started to be preserved and developed into heritage sites with adjacent museums reflecting on the industry and arts, and people living locally in the region and their history. German Lusatia and Essen regions, or the UK Sheffield industrial area are two random examples. The Powerhouse Museum as we, ie. the staff generation of the years 1980s-early 2000s used to know, it provided inspiration nationally and internationally, leading the way in integrating many areas of human creativity into an outstanding visitor experience and learning. The Powerhouse Museum aka Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences can continue doing exactly that if the recent promise made by the NSW Government, namely Dominic Perrottet made in July 2020, is kept. Only two years ago the NSW Government assured its citizens of maintaining the original purpose, direction and staffing level of the Powerhouse Museum. It would be tragic for the same Government to break the promise.
Jana Vytrhlik Powerhouse Museum (1986-2014) Education Officer Multicultural Programs 1986-1995; Cultural Diversity Programs 1995-1997; Manager, Education & Program Development 1997-2009; Manager, Grants & Research Development 2009-2014.
Ann Toy
Object
SYDNEY , New South Wales
Message
I ( Ann Toy) object to the EIS in relation to the redevelopment of the Ultimo Powerhouse Museum site for the following reasons:
- it fails to respect, indeed it will destroy the heritage significance of Lionel Glendenning's Sulman award winning museum architecture and the ground breaking creative adaptive use of the restored power house station buildings.
- The estimated cost of the demolition and redevelopment of the site is wasteful and unacceptable at a time when many other cultural institutions / organisations in Sydney are struggling to survive because of lack of adequate funding and the impact of the pandemic.
-The PHM Ultimo can be refurbished and updated at a far more reasonable budget. and its exhibitions and collections on display should continue to focus on the themes relevant to the education and enjoyment of the people of New South Wales, not just fashion.
This EIS must be rejected and a new one developed with more relevant criteria.
Ann Toy.
-
Name Withheld
Object
NAREMBURN , New South Wales
Message
The current award winning building needs to be preserved. This project is not in the public interest and is a waste of taxpayer dollars
Bill Fisher
Object
DRUMMOYNE , New South Wales
Message
I write regarding the proposed changes to the Powerhouse Museum described in the Powerhouse Ultimo Renewal document (Application SSD-32927319 by Create NSW), and wish to register my complete and utter OBJECTION to this proposal.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this project covers in great detail the regulatory and other requirements to be met, and examines many aspects of this project: the purported benefits and expected costs and impacts. The document is long and broad in its coverage, but shallow, limited and misleading in its considerations and conclusions.

The EIS is about the “Powerhouse Ultimo” a hazy concept to commercialise Ultimo and do that with special regard to “fashion” and “design”, oh, and of course education and heritage. But what is proposed is a scenario where, without mention in the EIS, the crown jewel of NSW applied technology history, the Powerhouse Museum, will be wrecked, ruined and washed away should the EIS be approved.

The Powerhouse Museum is the result of over 140 years of careful collection, and covers decorative arts, costume, furniture, media and technologies from the steam engine to computers and space craft, with countless other facets of technology, supported by (at least until recently) curators and staff with deep knowledge of the displays. The museum collection includes items unique in the world, and very many that can be seen nowhere else in Australia. The Powerhouse Museum building design attracted a Sir John Sulman Medal, recognising its excellent design and fitness for purpose in displaying the collection. Combining the collection and the building, we have a Powerhouse Museum that is world class and needs to be recognised as such. And the EIS completely fails to mention this.

The EIS is misconceived, written to achieve base and shallow ends, and must be rejected.
David Payne
Object
GLENBROOK , New South Wales
Message
Refer attached file
Attachments
Timothy Baird
Object
HEATHCOTE , New South Wales
Message
The proposal is a gross mismanagement of NSW taxpayer funds. The museum should remain as it was originally intended. For a fraction of the money proposed to be spent on "renewal" the maintenance of the buildings that have been willfully neglected must be addressed first and then the "renewal" should focus on returning the museum to its original purpose. The NSW state Government are temporary custodians of the museum, not the owners. The taxpaying public of NSW are the owners. As such the NSW state goverment should not be embarking on works they were never given a mandate for. If the NSW state Governemant are so intent on a fashion and arts style "museum" then develop the proposed Parramatta "museum" into this and leave Ultimo as it is.

Pagination

Project Details

Application Number
SSD-32927319
Assessment Type
State Significant Development
Development Type
Museum, Gardens & Zoos
Local Government Areas
City of Sydney
Decision
Approved
Determination Date
Decider
Minister

Contact Planner

Name
Renah Givney