Navigation
Log in


Forgot your password?
 

REDWatch Update on LES Exhibition until 24 November

This update was provided in the REDWatch email update on 15 November 2022 to provide additional information about REDWatch's concerns over the Large Erecting Shop Exhibition.
REDWatch Update on LES Exhibition until 24 November

The Large Erecting Shop erecting steam Locomotives

 

The Large Erecting Shop Exhibition until 24 November 2022

Heritage Principles to consider for the LES rezoning

REDWatch’s initial concerns over the LES Proposal

No Pedestrian Linkage nor even a place for one

Extend the South Eveleigh Access and Protections to the LES

Identify the Moveable Heritage Items associated with the LES

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

Preserve Heritage Vistas with the LES

Reduce the Development Floor Space

Council Areas of Concern

The Large Erecting Shop Exhibition until 24 November 2022

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.