Planning Proposal - Heritage Listing of St Joseph's ... · NSW Heritage Act 1977 on the former St...

Ordinary Meeting of Council 20 February 2017 1

File: PP-2016/5 Doc: IC17/26

ITEM 1 PLANNING PROPOSAL - HERITAGE LISTING OF ST JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CONVENT AND CHURCH 48-50 PARK ROAD BULLI - POST EXHIBITION

On 6 April 2016, Council staff, under delegation, made an Interim Heritage Order under the NSW Heritage Act 1977 on the former St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Convent at 48-50 Park Road, Bulli. The Interim Heritage Order was put in place to protect the building from demolition to give Council time to consider the potential heritage listing of the site.

On 25 July 2016, Council resolved to prepare a draft Planning Proposal to add the St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church and the former St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Convent to the list of heritage items in Schedule 5 of the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2009 and update the Local Environmental Plan heritage map accordingly. The draft Planning Proposal was exhibited from 23 November to 21 December 2016. This report considers the submissions made during the exhibition period and recommends that the draft Planning Proposal be finalised and the Church and Convent be included as heritage items in the Wollongong LEP 2009.

RECOMMENDATION

1 The draft Planning Proposal for St Joseph’s Catholic Convent and Church at 48-50 Park Road, Bulli be progressed by:

a finalising the Planning Proposal that seeks to include the church and convent in Schedule 5 – Heritage Items and the Heritage Map of Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009;

b the final Planning Proposal being referred to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment for the making of arrangements for drafting to give effect to the final proposal; and

c noting that the General Manager will thereafter proceed to exercise his delegation issued by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment under Section 59 in relation to the final proposal.

2 The organisations that made submissions be informed of Council’s decision.

REPORT AUTHORISATIONS

Report of: Renee Campbell, Manager Environmental Strategy and Planning Authorised by: David Farmer, General Manager

ATTACHMENTS

1 Location and Proposed Curtilage Map 2 Assessment of Heritage Significance

COMPLIANCE WITH OFFICE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES ON COUNCIL DECISION MAKING DURING MERGER PROPOSAL PERIODS

The recommendation in this report satisfies the requirements of the OLG Guidelines - Council Decision Making During Merger Proposal Periods.

BACKGROUND

St Joseph’s Catholic Church and Convent is located at 48-50 Park Road, Bulli (Attachment 1). The land is zoned R2 Low Density Residential. As well as the Church and Convent buildings, the site contains buildings used for St Joseph’s School.

The St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Bulli was constructed in 1900, with the associated former St Joseph’s Convent building being constructed in 1903, to accommodate the Sisters of St Joseph, who were the Order of Nuns appointed to the Parish.


On 19 November 2015, Council received a nomination from a member of St Joseph’s Parish of the Roman Catholic Church, for the heritage listing of the former St Joseph’s Convent building at 48-50 Park Road, Bulli. The heritage nomination was supported by additional information, including:

Advice from an Architect (Sidney Rofe) engaged by the Bulli Parish to advise on the former convent building, and

Advice from a Structural Engineer (Peter Lockhart) engaged by the Parish, giving an assessment on the former convent building.

The nomination was added to a group of items that Council is considering as part of a broader review of the heritage items listed under Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009.

In December 2015, Council’s Consultant Heritage Advisor undertook an assessment of the heritage significance for the St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church and the former St Joseph’s Convent Building, Bulli. Both heritage assessments were undertaken using the criteria specified by the NSW Heritage Branch of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. The heritage assessments recommended that both buildings be listed as local heritage items. The assessments found:

1. St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Bulli is of significance for Wollongong for its historic, associative, aesthetic and spiritual values, for its potential to contribute further to an understanding of ecclesiastical design in the Federation period, and as a locally representative example of a Federation Church with some rare elements. The Church building is readily identifiable as part of the historic building stock in the area, an important element in the streetscape, and a local landmark. Its fabric demonstrates development of the area in the period of rapid growth in Bulli gained due to prosperous expansion of local industry and emergence of new technologies, and it provides evidence of the prosperous growing of the local population in the period before WW1. The built fabric retains its ability to interpret historical themes, while the integrity of that presents as high when viewed from publicly accessible areas.

2. St Joseph’s Convent in Bulli is of significance for Wollongong for its historic, associative, and aesthetic values, and as a local example of a Federation period purpose-built Convent building in this area. The St Joseph’s Convent is readily identifiable as part of the historic building stock in the area, and makes a contribution to the streetscape. The built fabric retains its ability to interpret historical themes, while the integrity of that presents as high when viewed from publicly accessible areas. The Convent belongs to the Roman Catholic Church in Bulli and is a related item, in heritage terms, to the adjoining St Joseph’s Church building.

A copy of the Heritage Assessment is at Attachment 2.

On 5 April 2016, Council received information from a member of the parish that works were scheduled to demolish the former convent building. Council subsequently issued an Interim Heritage Order under the NSW Heritage Act 1977. The Interim Heritage Order was notified in the NSW Government Gazette on 6 April 2016.

On 11 May 2016, the Wollongong Heritage Advisory Committee considered a report on the former convent and recommended that Council prepare and exhibit a draft Planning Proposal to add the St Joseph’s Catholic Church and the former St Joseph’s Convent to the heritage schedule under the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009.

On 25 July 2016, Council considered a report on the Interim Heritage Order and the proposed listing of the St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church and the former St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Convent, and resolved to prepare and exhibit a draft Planning Proposal to add both buildings to Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009 as heritage items. Council resolved that:


1 A draft Planning Proposal be prepared to add:

a St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, and

b Former St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Convent, to the heritage list contained within Schedule 5 of the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009 as items of local significance, and to update the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan Heritage Map accordingly.

2 The draft Planning Proposal be placed on public exhibition for a minimum period of 28 days.

3 A further report on the outcomes of the exhibition be presented to Council at the conclusion of the notification period.

4 The Interim Heritage Order relating to the former Convent building be kept in place until the post exhibition report is considered.

The Department of Planning and Environment issued Gateway determination on 9 November 2016 and granted Council delegated authority to finalise the Planning Proposal and LEP amendment.

The draft Planning Proposal was exhibited from 23 November to 21 December 2016.

PROPOSAL

The Planning Proposal seeks to add St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church and the former St Joseph’s Convent building, 48-50 Park Road, Bulli to Schedule 5 of the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009 as items of local heritage and to update the heritage map under the Local Environmental Plan accordingly.

CONSULTATION AND COMMUNICATION

Prior to Council’s resolution of 25 July 2016 to prepare and exhibit a draft Planning Proposal, Council had already received detailed submissions from the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Catholic Education Office, as well as a total of 23 submissions in support of the heritage listing of the St Joseph’s Convent Building. The details of these earlier submissions and further details of consultation with the land owner were provided within the attachments to the Council report of 25 July 2016.

The draft Planning Proposal was exhibited from 23 November to 21 December 2016.

The draft Planning Proposal was exhibited on Council’s website, and copies made available in Council’s Administration Centre, Wollongong, Thirroul and Corrimal Libraries. The exhibition of the draft Planning Proposal was advertised in the Advertiser and the Illawarra Mercury and was notified to;

Surrounding property owners

The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Bishop of Wollongong

The Catholic Education Office

The Director of Schools of the Diocese of Wollongong

The Parish

The School Principal

The School P&F

The National Trust

The Illawarra Historical Society

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment

Neighbourhood Forum 3

Persons who made submissions during the consideration of the previous report on the Interim Heritage Order.


Three (3) submissions were received in response to the exhibition of the draft Planning Proposal.

Organisation Submission summary Comment

Heritage Division of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage

Support the heritage listing of the buildings. Noted

Illawarra Shoalhaven Branch of the National Trust of Australia

Support the heritage listing of the buildings. Noted

St Joseph’s Parish Bulli Support the heritage listing of the buildings. The submission notes that the former convent (St Mary of the Cross House) is used on a regular basis. The submission also notes that alternative arrangements have been made to accommodate the needs of the school which include retention of the former convent building.

Noted

PLANNING AND POLICY IMPACT

The listing of these two buildings as heritage items under Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009 does not necessarily preclude the demolition of buildings, but it does ensure that development that would impact on those heritage items does not occur without development consent, including an appropriate assessment of the impact on heritage significance. The Local Environmental Plan contains provisions that would encourage the adaptive reuse of the buildings to promote their retention.

This report contributes to the delivery of Wollongong 2022 objective “Community awareness and appreciation of heritage is increased” under the Community Goal “We value and protect our environment”. It specifically delivers on core business activities as detailed in the Land Use Planning Service Plan 2016-17 under the delivery stream of Heritage.

CONCLUSION

The heritage listing of the St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church and the former St Joseph’s Convent will ensure that the heritage significance of these items is considered in assessment of future development proposals. It is recommended that Council proceed to finalise the Planning Proposal to enable the preparation of an amendment to Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009.

Ordinary Meeting of Council

Item 1 - Attachment 1 - Location and Proposed Curtilage Map 20 February 2017 5


Item 1 - Attachment 2 - Assessment of Heritage Significance 20 February 2017 7

Planning Proposal - Heritage Listing of St Joseph's ... · NSW Heritage Act 1977 on the former St...

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