“The Heritage of Hunters Hill” is here!

By admin | Published: January 12, 2020

Following on from the launch at the Hunters Hill Trust Christmas party “The Heritage of Hunters Hill” book is now available. It has been printed in full colour and features almost 500 homes. 

Price $55 each

Available from the following local outlets:

Hunters Hill Post Office, 32 Alexandra Street

Hunters Hill Museum, 22 Alexandra Street

The Lost & Found Department, 39 Alexandra Street (opposite Garibaldi Inn)

or email 

members@huntershilltrust.org.au

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St Peter Chanel Church – Development Update

By admin | Published: June 9, 2019

A Win for Heritage in the Land and Environment Court!

Following the formal onsite meeting of the Land and Environment Court (LEC) on 28 May, the Hunters Hill Trust is pleased to report that the LEC has refused the DA but encourages members to maintain a watching brief in case the decision is appealed. Council’s solicitors wrote to residents setting out the reasons for the judgement as follows:

The Commissioner’s ‘reasons for refusal chiefly related to the proposal’s detrimental impact on the heritage significance of the site, including impacting on views to and from the Church, the impact on the setting and curtilage of the Church as well as the uncertainty regarding contamination of the site.’

The Trust supported Hunters Hill Council in believing the sub-division would have been entirely unsuitable for the site. Apart from detracting from the character of the Church’s setting within the heritage of Crescent Street and compromising a significant landmark visible from the water, the location would have been difficult to build on and would have resulted in the destruction of the sandstone rock shelf and mature trees.

We congratulate all residents and objectors who presented such a strong case and stood up in defence of heritage.

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Hunters Hill Trust Journal, June 2019

By admin | Published: June 1, 2019

The Hunters Hill Trust Journal Volume 57, No 1, June 2019 is available here.

This edition includes:

  • From the President’s Desk – Alister Sharp
    • AGM Report
    • Membership
    • Interaction with Council
    • Walks & Events 2018 -2019
  • How Our Garden Suburb is Changing
  • The Farm Attendant’s Cottage – Waruda
  • DA Updates
    • New Sports Complex St Joseph’s College
    • St Peter Chanel
    • 1 & 3 Ryde Road
  • Dismantling of the Office of Environment and Heritage
  • Heritage-Listed Boronia Park
  • Green Book Update
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Inclusive playground in Boronia Park: CAUTION

By admin | Published: April 28, 2019

The Weekly Times (10 April) reports that Council’s plans for an ‘all ability, inclusive’ playground are progressing, with funding of $250,000 already secured. When this project was proposed the Trust expressed concern that:

  • the playground needs to be compatible with the Plan of Management for Boronia Park
  • this type of playground needs a higher level of maintenance than standard Council playgrounds, so Council will need to plan for a maintenance budget. (Livvy’s Place playgrounds in Ryde and Five Dock show why this will be needed).

The Trust is part of Council’s Community Advisory Group that influences the Boronia Park’s Plan of Management. The Trust has been actively involved in developing the Boronia Park Plan of Management and remains committed to protecting, conserving and enhancing our heritage-listed site.

Green space is so precious, especially with the massive developments happening around us.

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New Ministries and departments in NSW

By admin | Published: April 27, 2019

Planning administration is changing following the NSW election. The full impacts won’t be known until the new arrangements start operating, but we already have concerns.

Image: Smithsonian

The powers of the Office of Environment and Heritage and the Office of Local Government have been transferred to the Premier or the new Minister for Planning and Public Spaces (formerly Planning and Environment).

The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces now has responsibility for over 100 Acts including:
• The Local Government Act;
• Planning related Acts:
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 No 203
Land and Environment Court Act 1979 No 204
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 No 80.

Now that the Office of Environment and Heritage been abolished, the submissions and assessments lodged as part of a planning consultation process by an independent agency will no longer be visible to the public. Instead, assessments and advice will go to internal managers and not into the public domain.

Better Planning Network provides more information.

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‘exempt & complying developments’ threaten HH character

By admin | Published: April 12, 2019

under construction

heritage item next door

A recent development at No 8 Earnshaw Street Gladesville (at left) is an example of the impact of the Exempt and Complying Development Code on the character of Hunters Hill.

Were it not for the Complying Development SEPP this development proposal would have been assessed under the controls of Hunters Hill Council’s LEP and DCP.  Council’s Conservation Advisory Panel would have viewed the proposal and its advice incorporated into Council’s assessment.

There is another anomaly with this particular development.  At first sight it would appear to be a dual occupancy on a single block of land.  However this is not the case.   There are in fact two lots at 8 Earnshaw St.   One is just over 6m wide, while the other is a little over 12m wide.  The smaller block has an area of around 230m2 and the larger block’s area is about 450m2.  Neither block complies with the LEP minimum of 700m2.  How this unusual subdivision occurred is not known.

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Another blow to heritage in NSW

By admin | Published: April 12, 2019

The recently re-elected Liberal State Government will dismantle that the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and its two principal functions will be absorbed by other departments.

ArchitectureAU says “The environmental protection and management functions of the office will be moved to an enlarged “Planning and Industry” department, while the heritage functions of the office will be moved to the arts portfolio.  Speaking to reporters on 2 April, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, “We’ve moved heritage into the arts, because heritage and the arts have a very strong focus.”

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‘Exempt and complying developments’ in Hunters Hill

By admin | Published: April 12, 2019

In 2008 the NSW State Labor Government introduced State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying  Development Codes) to ‘provide streamlined assessment processes for development that complies with specified development standards’.   Exempt and Complying Development Certificates are issued by the Accredited Certifier, which in most cases is a Private Certifier appointed by the owner of the proposed development.  Council can also be nominated as the Accredited Certifier.

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NSW Office of Environment and Heritage disbanded

By admin | Published: April 10, 2019

It can be tough reading the news these days. Architectureau.com reports that the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage will be dismantled and its two principal functions absorbed by other departments, following the re-election of the NSW government in March.

Design Guide for Heritage

The environmental protection and management functions of the office will be moved to an enlarged “Planning and Industry” department, and the heritage functions of the office will be moved to the arts portfolio.

The Heritage Council of NSW’s  ‘Design Guide for Heritage’ shows how to use innovative, creative, and sensitive design approaches to heritage.

People of NSW are increasingly distressed about the impacts of rampant over-development.

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Vintage boat trip, Sunday 7th April

By admin | Published: April 9, 2019

Regal II

Perfect weather with blue skies and sparkling water greeted us on Sunday morning, as we set off on our cruise on the comfortable vintage ferry Regal II.  Plenty of food and drink added to our enjoyment as we took a different route this year, travelling down the Lane Cove river and past Onions Point, before cruising along the Parramatta River.

Rodd Island

We sailed under the Iron Cove and Tarban Creek bridges, past the Balmain foreshore and as far as Rodd Island where, courtesy of Brigid Dowsett & Tony Saunders, we were entertained with a story involving the Island and Sarah Bernhardt’s visit to Australia in June 1891.

Iron Cove bridge

Tarban Creek bridge

We sailed past Spectacle and Snapper Islands and learned more interesting facts about these historic Islands, courtesy of Karen Presland.  We then meandered back up to Tarban Creek, where we once again enjoyed the beautiful view of Riverglade Reserve from the water.

 

 

Brigid Dowsett & Karen Presland

A lovely relaxing trip appreciated by a large group of HHT members and our friends from the Historical Society.

Photos by Judith Johnson and Karen Presland

 

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