Rose Bay residents appalled by plan to knock down Old Churches
17/6/2010
By:
Jennifer Bennett
New South Wales – Australia
Rose Bay residents appalled by plan to knock down old churches
HERITAGE campaigners are vowing to fight a plan by the Greek Orthodox Church to bulldoze three of its Rose Bay properties.
The buildings, including two deconsecrated churches, will make way for low-rise aged-care apartments.
Woollahra Council is scrambling to complete a heritage report on the properties, two of which happen to be among the oldest church buildings in the area: St Paul’s, built in 1918, and the “new” St Paul’s, built next door in 1927 when the first church proved too small.
Both are now deconsecrated, with the older building used for childcare and the newer one as a public hall.
The 1927 building was designed by architect John Burcham Clamp, regarded as one of the pre-eminent architects of the day, and also a founder of Cranbrook School.
Heritage consultant David Sheedy said demolishing the churches would be a “desecration” of local heritage.
“They’re excellent examples of their period,” he said.
The third building, the old rectory, is a Federation-era Arts and Crafts cottage that has much of its original finishes intact.
It was most likely originally built by the Buchanan family, who developed much of Rose Bay more than a century ago. “We’re very concerned, as these houses belonged to the Buchanan family, and it’s a part of Rose Bay’s history,” Rose Bay Residents Association vice-president Maureen Clark said.
The Greek Orthodox Church lodged a development application last week to demolish the churches.
“These two little churches, now almost 100 years old, are an important part of Woollahra’s heritage. It would be a real tragedy to see them demolished to make way for yet more apartments,” Greens councillor David Shoebridge said.
“The little 1918 church is operating as Possums Childcare. This shows the potential for adaptive re-use of these buildings. We need to work with our history, keeping what is precious and applying it to our current needs.”
But James Photios, the president of the church’s board of directors, said the church was responding to the needs of its ageing parish.
He said there was a need for aged care, and that the cost of looking after the buildings was proving to be a drain on the church’s coffers.
“We have to do something with the properties,” Mr Photios said. “They don’t really serve our purposes the way they are at the moment.
“Obviously, with any parish these days there’s financial considerations, but I’d have to say we’re also looking towards our parishioners, what’s best for them and the needs they’ll have in the future.”
He said the church would await the council’s decision on the heritage issue and would also put the matter to vote by its members.
“What we’re looking for is something that’s going to complement the services the church provides, and that’s going to be at the forefront of our decision – something the parish can have for the next 50 or 100 years,” he said.
