Government threatens people trying to save Australia’s oldest public square

Heritage-listed Windsor Bridge, constructed 1874. Photo: State Library of NSW

Individual members of Community Action for Windsor Bridge (CAWB) may face financial ruin if NSW Department of Planning seeks costs following a recent case in the Land and Environment Court.

CAWB has has been fighting the State Government’s plan to bulldoze historic Windsor bridge and send massive trucks into Australia’s oldest public square.

This precinct of State Significant Heritage dates back to 1795 and has numerous items of built, cultural and natural significance.

Houses of Thompson square, National Library, ca 1935

A permanent conservation order was declared over the entire Thompson Square Heritage Precinct in 1982.  BUT ‘State Significant Infrastructure’ legislation introduced by the current State Government lets the government ignore the advice of countless heritage, planning, traffic, architectural and engineering experts and protests from every heritage and historical organisation in the country.

Read more:  SMH: Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) pursues community group