Schedule 6 Character statements and objectives for Special Areas
Schedule 6 Character statements and objectives for Special Areas
(Clause 79 (c))
1 Millers Point
Character statement
The Millers Point area is highly significant, as one of Sydney’s earliest suburbs developed to serve the nearby port. It was the location of windmills, quarries, observatories, fortifications and maritime activities from colonial times. Built evidence remains of some of these as well as early Victorian workers’ terraces. Much of the area has high archaeological potential.
The area consists of a residential community, which is unique in city terms for its strong identity and self-containment with employment, housing and community facilities available within the area. Government ownership has played an important role in the area with successive demolitions and redevelopments since the Darling Harbour Resumptions in the 1900s, the involvement of the Sydney Harbour Trust from 1908, the Housing Board in the inter-war period and more recently the Department of Housing.
The area’s steep, coastal topography and early development have generated its character and built form with evidence of quarrying, retaining walls, and a public domain which includes public staircases, laneways, pedestrian pathways, bridges and parks of a variety of scales. The area south, along Kent Street, forms a transition in scale to the city, while 2-storey development is a dominant character on Kent Street. There is a significant change in level to the west with the lower buildings addressing Hickson Road. The area affords significant views to and from the water and of the Harbour Bridge. A significant panorama of the Harbour and the City is gained from Observatory Hill.
The area is characterised by a fine grained subdivision pattern, the use of sandstone and other traditional building materials, 2–3 storey residential terraces, similar scaled commercial buildings (often pubs) defining the corners and pitched roofs. While there is a consistency of materials, scale and form, a variety of styles and street alignments are represented, with many of the terraces setback at street level.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to ensure that any new development respects the adjoining development and maintains the predominantly two storey residential character of the area,
(b) to conserve and reinforce the heritage significance of this Special Area,
(c) to ensure that any new building respects the adjoining buildings and provides a reasonable stepping to the City’s higher buildings,
Schedule Schedule 6 - Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2005 - Character statements and objectives for Special Areas | Zoe
(d) to limit the amount and type of non-residential uses, within this Special Area, so as to ensure the social and cultural mix of Millers Point is maintained,
(e) to maintain existing views and vistas into and out of the precinct to the water and Harbour Bridge north and to the city south, and Observatory Park,
(f) to ensure that the social and cultural mix of Millers Point is maintained,
(g) to conserve the continuity of Millers Point and adapt to meet the continuing needs of the significant uses.
2 York Street
Character Statement
York Street and the streets and lanes surrounding it contain evidence of one of the early warehousing areas in Sydney that serviced Darling Harbour as a working port. The area is typified by its 19th and 20th century, 5–8 storey masonry buildings of a consistent scale, form and character. The architectural emphasis of the buildings located at street intersections are a distinctive characteristic of this area.
The network of lanes, internal courtyards, uniform block pattern with narrow frontages and west-east transport links all present the various layers of the area’s past and present commercial/retail character.
The Queen Victoria Building is evidence of early markets in the area. Its grand scale and rare composition with dominant domes appear in many views and terminate vistas within the area, such as that from Mullins Street. There are views through the area between the Harbour and the City, as well as many significant vistas such as that along York Street, which is terminated by the Town Hall to the south.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to reinforce the historic subdivision pattern in the design of buildings,
(b) to conserve and enhance existing significant views between the area and Darling Harbour and the significant vistas terminated by the QVB and the Town Hall, such as those along Mullins Street and York Street,
(c) to conserve the existing laneways and courtyards and their heritage significance,
(d) to respond to the historic warehouse typology in the design of buildings.
3 Hyde Park/College Street
Character Statement
Hyde Park and College Street form a precinct, which clearly separates the City from the residential areas to the east, forms part of the green eastern edge and frames an important gateway to the City.
The Park has two distinct edges: the north and east, flanking College Street and St James Road, comprise important institutional free-standing sandstone buildings and significant public open spaces including Queens Square, which is one of the earliest examples of formal urban design in central Sydney. The west and south edges consist of commercial development of larger scale with strong street alignment, creating a greater sense of enclosure to the Park.
Hyde Park is the oldest public park in Sydney being reserved for public recreation by Governor Macquarie in 1810 and is prized by Sydneysiders for its recreational opportunities. Its current formal plan, dating from the 1920s, demonstrates the application of City Beautiful principles. It contains significant and symbolic monuments including the war memorial, obelisk and Archibald Fountain.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise the institutional area east of College Street as one of Sydney’s pre-eminent public areas characterised by a concentration of heritage items which house activities of State and National significance,
(b) to reinforce the urban character and scale of College Street by requiring new buildings to be integrated with the form of existing buildings and limiting the height of new buildings to the prevailing height of existing buildings, and to maintain the sense of openness east of Hyde Park,
(c) to enhance and reinforce the precinct’s role as a major gateway to the city from the east, particularly from William Street to Park Street, by ensuring that development does not adversely affect the views when approaching the City,
(d) to maintain and strengthen the sense of enclosure provided by the buildings to the west and south of Hyde Park, by requiring new buildings to be built to street alignment, to have street frontage heights consistent with the existing development and to have adequate setbacks above those street frontage heights,
(e) to maintain and enhance views to and through the Park and along College Street to landmark buildings such as St Mary’s Cathedral east and Centre Point Tower west,
(f) to maintain and enhance the role of the precinct as a major recreational open space for Sydney’s workers and residents,
(g) to protect and extend mid-winter lunchtime sun access to Hyde Park and other open spaces in this Special Area.
4 Haymarket
Character Statement
The number of remaining warehouses and service laneways in Haymarket is, along with the name of the area itself, evidence of its historic role as markets and its proximity to the port of Darling Harbour. The area offers evidence of its development following the establishment of Central Station in 1906 and the subsequent decline and resurgence of the area since the markets moved from the City centre. Despite these changes, the area retains a “market” atmosphere, characterised by a diversity of uses, vibrant street life and a diverse social and ethnic mix.
As an area somewhat removed from the City centre, it retains fine grained subdivision patterns, narrow frontages, informal public spaces and generally low building heights. The consistent low street wall, and the absence of the tower form, creates a pleasant microclimate at street level, which is well sunlit and protected from winds.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to conserve and reinforce the heritage significance of this Special Area,
(b) to retain and enhance the urban character and scale of the Haymarket locality by requiring new buildings to be built to the street alignment, to have street frontage heights consistent with the prevailing form of heritage items in this Special Area, and to have building setbacks above those street frontage heights,
(c) to maintain a high level of daylight access to the street by restricting building height and building bulk,
(d) to recognise and enhance the diversity of uses in the area,
(e) to maintain and reinforce permeability within the area and the intricacy of the urban fabric by retaining the existing significant lanes, original street pattern, special corner treatment, small allotments and narrow frontages, and encouraging through site links,
(f) to reinforce the distinct topography of the area by maintaining the layering of development when viewed from Darling Harbour with the City’s higher buildings in the background.
5 Wentworth Avenue East
Character Statement
The significance of the area lies in its establishment as a residential quarter on the fringe of the city and its subsequent redevelopment as a warehousing and industrial area in the early 20th century, following the construction of Central Station nearby. The area also included a number of cinemas.
The area is generally characterised by diversity of building form and subtle variation in development scale and style. It primarily includes two types of development: low-scale residential development, mainly 2 storey Victorian and Federation terrace groups, significant for their continued residential use with some including commercial use at ground level, and medium scale commercial and industrial buildings, predominantly of 5–7 storeys. The function of these buildings is reflected in their forms, with the industrial buildings tending to be of a relatively functional and utilitarian form, while the commercial (hotels and pubs) exhibit greater architectural detailing and ornamentation.
The majority of buildings utilise similar materials, texture and colours, predominantly brick and masonry. There are a few buildings notable for their use of glazed terracotta tiles in the facades; they represent the remaining evidence of the early cinemas and places of mass entertainment within the area, mostly of low scale and simple forms.
The aesthetic significance of the area is also attributed to a number of fine well-detailed and proportioned heritage buildings occupying prominent corner sites with strong visual relationship to each other, particularly along Wentworth Avenue.
The complex network of laneways is physical evidence of the original subdivision pattern and the fine grain of development within the area.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to conserve and reinforce the heritage significance of this Special Area,
(b) to retain and reinforce the built form of this Special Area by restricting development scale and bulk within this area and maintaining the warehousing typology in the built form of new development,
(c) to encourage residential and related ground level retail and other active street frontage uses which will contribute to the distinctive character of this Special Area,
(d) to conserve and enhance the network of existing laneways within the area,
(e) to maintain and enhance the existing fine grain development pattern, and prominent and significant corner buildings, and ensure that the relationship between existing and new corner buildings is visually sympathetic.
6 Circular Quay
Character Statement
Circular Quay’s significance lies in its position at the head of Sydney Cove, its function as the harbour gateway to the city and as a major celebratory public space. It was the location of the earliest colonial settlement. Customs House and its relationship to the Quay is physical evidence of the importance of the Quay in maritime activities in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
During the 20th century commercial shipping gave way to the pedestrian commuter and transport interchange function which reinforced the place as a major transport hub and a focal point for the City.
The Quay is characterised by significant public spaces facilitating unique views to the water, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, and also views from the water to the City beyond. These open spaces are enclosed by buildings of different architectural styles and periods, reflecting the history and development of the Quay. While the buildings to the east of the Quay have a relatively consistent character, scale and form, those to the south exhibit a notable disparity in building scale, form and architectural treatment, representative of their different periods.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise Circular Quay as a Special Area with a unique character in Central Sydney where Sydney Harbour meets the City, by a series of significant public spaces,
(b) to reinforce the urban character and scale of Circular Quay by requiring new buildings to be built to the street alignment, and to have a transition of building heights from Circular Quay to the maximum building height of the northern area of Central Sydney,
(c) to ensure that any development associated with the important transport interchange provided at Circular Quay is consistent with enhancement of the public domain of Circular Quay,
(d) to ensure that the important history, symbolic value and significance of the Quay and its maritime uses are interpreted in the design of new spaces and buildings,
(e) to maintain and enhance views to the water, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House from various spaces of the Quay, and from the water to the Quay and the City beyond,
(f) to maintain and reinforce the image of the area as a major focal point and its function as a celebratory public space.
7 Bridge Street/Macquarie Place
Character Statement
Bridge Street was the earliest east-west link across the Tank Stream between George and Macquarie Streets. It is significant for its association with a major colonial government building programme in the 1880’s, which included the First Government House and Macquarie Place Reserve. Both the Reserve and Bridge Street represent the early planning of the colony with a street pattern that is reflective of the area’s early topography.
The area retains evidence of its establishment by Governor Macquarie as the geographic and administrative centre of the colony, with the sandstone obelisk placed at the centre of Macquarie Place to mark the point from which all distances in the colony were measured.
A cohesive group of landmark sandstone buildings, often occupying whole blocks, define important public spaces and corners. Bridge Street offers an important vista to the Conservatorium of Music to the east and views to the water. Other views are distinguished by significant buildings within the area, especially those with special roof features.
The intact system of supporting lanes, some incorporated within building facades, is rare in the City and improves pedestrian permeability.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise and enhance Bridge Street as one of Sydney’s pre-eminent urban spaces as well as the locality of heritage items which have housed activities of State and National significance,
(b) to protect and extend morning sun access to Macquarie Place and sun access to Bridge Street and First Government House Place,
(c) to conserve the existing significant laneways in the area and encourage active uses, where compatible with their significance,
(d) to maintain and reinforce existing important public spaces, intersections and corners, in particular those crowned by significant buildings, such as the Lands Department and the Chief Secretary’s Department Building,
(e) to maintain and enhance existing views to the water, and also significant vistas to the Lands Department Building from Loftus Street, Macquarie Place and Bridge Street itself, in addition to the vista along Bridge Street to the Conservatorium of Music,
(f) to maintain and reinforce the cohesive and rare streetscape character of Bridge Street and Macquarie Place by requiring new buildings to be built to the street alignment and to have overall building heights that reinforce the existing predominant street frontage height.
8 Macquarie Street
Character Statement
Macquarie Street contains a collection of highly significant buildings dating from the early 19th century to the late 20th century. Originally a government precinct, it has expanded to embrace first residential, professional, then commercial and tourism uses.
Macquarie Street forms the eastern built edge of the City. It is characterised by two distinct sides: its western built edge consists of medium scale buildings, stepping up to the city high rise beyond, creating a prominent city skyline when viewed from the Botanic Gardens; while the eastern edge includes the Botanic Gardens and to the south a cohesive rare group of public buildings of national significance, that terminate east-west streets and create significant vistas, particularly from Martin Place.
Macquarie Street is a boulevard of grand and civic character providing a vista terminated to the south by Hyde Park, with views north to the Opera House.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise Macquarie Street as one of Sydney’s pre-eminent public spaces flanked by heritage items which house activities of State and national significance,
(b) to protect and extend mid-winter lunchtime sun access to Hyde Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Domain,
(c) to improve and enhance the public domain and pedestrian amenity of the street and promote its image as a grand and civic boulevard,
(d) to maintain and reinforce the urban character and scale of Macquarie Street and sense of enclosure for the Royal Botanic Gardens by requiring new buildings to be built to the street alignment, to have street frontage heights and building setbacks above street frontage heights consistent with the prevailing scale, form and character of existing buildings nearby,
(e) to emphasise Macquarie Street as the eastern built edge of the city and maintain the stepped building form from it westwards towards the north-south ridge of the City centre,
(f) to maintain and enhance existing views and vistas to the harbour and Opera House to the north and Hyde Park to the south.
9 Martin Place
Character Statement
Martin Place is of social, cultural and historic significance, being the site of various monuments, in particular the Cenotaph, as well as the site of many historical events, which reinforced its image as the civic and ceremonial heart of the City. Its initiation was after the siting of the GPO in 1863, as a small meeting place in the front of the post office. Its subsequent planned evolution and development illustrates the application of city planning principles of the 1880s to 1930s, which culminated in its complete pedestrianisation in 1970. It represents the financial heart of the City, containing significant public and financial buildings.
Martin Place consists of a cohesive group of buildings with a consistent street wall of up to 45 metres. These buildings have similar architectural features, characterised by the use of richly textured masonry facades, intricate architectural detailing, vertical emphasis and grand proportions at street level, representative of their function as housing various public and business institutions. The built form encloses a significant linear public space, with strong vistas terminated to the east and west by significant public buildings. The GPO clock tower is an important landmark visible from various points within Martin Place.
Martin Place is also significant for its supportive network of lanes, being rare examples of pedestrian thoroughfares reminiscent of Victorian Sydney laneways such as Angel Place and Ash Lane.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to conserve and enhance the significance of Martin Place as one of Central Sydney’s great civic and ceremonial spaces, and as a valued business location,
(b) to protect and extend sun access and reflected sunlight to Martin Place during lunchtime hours from mid-April to the end of August,
(c) to protect existing significant vistas to the east and west and ensure that new development will not detrimentally affect the silhouette of the GPO clock tower,
(d) to retain and enhance the urban character, scale and strong linear enclosure of Martin Place by requiring new buildings to be built to the street alignment, to have street frontage heights consistent with the prevailing form of buildings in the area, and to have building setbacks above those street frontage heights,
(e) to retain human scale at street level, while respecting and positively responding to the monumental nature of the place.
10 Pitt Street Mall
Character Statement
Pitt Street Mall is a major retail node and pedestrian space in the City centre. The wide variety of shopping and leisure activities in the area attract a wide range of users.
The intense network of arcades linking Castlereagh Street and George Street enhances permeability within the area. The concentration of small-scale (4–5 storeys) Victorian commercial buildings standing on either side of the Mall contributes to the character of the area.
The consistent low street wall allows for the penetration of a great deal of sunlight to the Mall, especially during lunchtime in winter, which along with its high accessibility makes it a popular meeting place.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise and enhance Pitt Street Mall as a key element of Central Sydney’s retail core,
(b) to protect and extend lunchtime and late morning sun access to the Pitt Street Mall from mid-April to the end of August,
(c) to enhance permeability within the area by reinforcing and expanding the network of arcades in this Special Area,
(d) to retain and improve the urban character and scale of Pitt Street Mall and its sense of linear enclosure by requiring new development to be built to street alignment and have street frontage heights consistent with the prevailing form of existing buildings in the Area, and to have building setbacks above those street frontage heights,
(e) to enhance and encourage the use of the Mall as a major pedestrian space and an informal meeting place.
11 Wynyard Park/Lang Park
Character Statement
Wynyard Park is an important space within the public domain and fabric of Central Sydney. The Park is of a Victorian layout and was used as a military parade ground from 1792 to 1848. It was known as Wynyard Square from 1848–1887, and was officially dedicated as a park and an open space for public recreation in 1887.
It is distinguished as a major public transport node. The street edges provide a strong sense of urban enclosure, created by the uniformity of the buildings lining the streets, resulting in the effect of “an urban room”. The majority of these buildings are of a consistent height and street alignment and exhibit similar architectural themes.
Lang Park derives its significance from its dedication as one of the early urban parks in 1866 and its association with the earlier Shot’s Church. The park is considered as a northern gateway to Central Sydney and provides a visual relief in this highly developed area.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise Wynyard Park and Lang Park as important elements of the public domain in the northern part of Central Sydney as well as the role of Lang Park as a northern “gateway” to Central Sydney,
(b) to protect and extend mid-winter lunchtime sun access to Wynyard Park and Lang Park,
(c) to retain the sense of urban enclosure provided to Wynyard Park by requiring new buildings to be built to the street alignment, and by requiring street frontage heights and setbacks above them to be compatible with the prevailing form and scale of existing buildings surrounding Wynyard Park,
(d) to enhance the terminating vistas along Carrington Street, and York Street to the south at its corner with Wynyard Street,
(e) to ensure that any development associated with the important public transport interchange provided at Wynyard is consistent with enhancement of the public domain of Wynyard Park.
12 Sydney Square, Sydney Town Hall and St Andrews Cathedral
Character Statement
Sydney Square is a major public open space framed by the Town Hall and St Andrews Cathedral.
The Town Hall is one of the State’s most important civic buildings. The Town Hall and its civic setting symbolise the long tradition of city government and has been involved in the development of Sydney City since the mid 19th century. The building is one of the grandest and most elaborate and largely intact examples of the 19th century High Victorian style surviving in Australia. The Sydney Town Hall together with St Andrews Cathedral and the Queen Victoria Building in the adjoining Special Area to the north form a remarkably homogeneous group by virtue of their similarities in scale, texture and materials.
The precinct represents the symbolic and visual focus and centre of the city and serves as a landmark feature along George Street, due to its prominent location and association with major civic events. The clock tower of the Town Hall and spires of St Andrews Cathedral either appear in, or terminate many significant vistas, particularly those from Park, George, York and Bathurst Streets.
The area is one of the busiest parts of the city, in terms of both vehicular and pedestrian movement, and with the underground Town Hall Station functions as a major transport node. The steps of the Town Hall attract many people and the Square acts as a major meeting and gathering place (formal and informal) with a wide variety of activity on various levels.
Though the buildings lining the edges of Sydney Square exhibit a diverse range of styles and scales, the majority follow the street alignment and contribute somehow to the relatively undefined sense of the enclosure of the Square and to the urban character of the area.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise Sydney Square as the pre-eminent public space for civic events and as a community meeting place,
(b) to protect and extend morning sun access to the steps of the Town Hall and lunchtime sun access to Sydney Square,
(c) to reinforce the urban character, scale and sense of enclosure of Sydney Square by requiring new buildings surrounding the Square to be built to the street alignment, and to have street frontage heights and setbacks at higher levels consistent with the prevailing form of buildings in this Special Area,
(d) to ensure that new development lining the four edges of the Square visually continues the Square and provides an appropriate backdrop to the civic character of the area and does not dominate its significant civic buildings that give it a sense of civic significance,
(e) to ensure that any development associated with the important public transport interchange provided at Town Hall is consistent with enhancement of the public domain of Sydney Square,
(f) to ensure that new development around Sydney Square contributes positively to the definition of the space and has a scale and character that is compatible and complements the civic buildings, in terms of facade composition, building materials, colours and textures and exhibits a rhythm and richness in articulation,
(g) to maintain and enhance existing important views and vistas to the clock tower of the Town Hall from Park Street, George Street and York Street, and to the spires of the Cathedral from Bathurst and George Streets, and to allow the silhouette of the Cathedral and Town Hall to be viewed and read against the sky.
13 Railway Square
Character Statement
Railway Square is the major visual and functional gateway to the city from west and south. The intersection of George and Pitt Streets is one of Sydney’s busiest and largest intersections, which has traditionally dispersed traffic and pedestrians into and out of the city. The original intersection was of a Y shape and was formed in 1807 by the junction of the old and new connection between George Street and Parramatta Road. The continuation of George Street to the south (Lee Street) in 1843 created the existing X shape of the Square.
The Square has functioned over 135 years as a railway station and still acts as a major transport interchange node, allowing change between buses, and heavy and light rail. Historically, it has an association with the first railway line and terminal opened further south in 1855 and also has symbolic importance as the focus of a rail system, which has had a great influence on the development of NSW.
The Central Railway Station was opened in 1902, but was not in a complete form at that time. The station was fully completed in 1921 by the addition of the clock tower, which today acts as a landmark contributing immensely to the visual prominence of the Square. The civic heritage of the Central Railway precinct provides historic continuity and physical links to the precinct’s past.
The area is typified by a concentration of low-medium scale (3–7 storeys) heritage buildings and streetscapes, a series of varied interrelated open spaces and a rich mix of uses and activities, including commercial, industrial, institutional and residential. The predominant built form is the warehouse typology, as opposed to the tower form, which prevails in the City centre to the north of the area.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise the role of Railway Square as the western and southern gateway to Central Sydney,
(b) to reinforce the significance of the existing heritage fabric and complement it with contemporary fabric of high quality architecture and an urban nature and contribute to the layers of meanings and content of the locality,
(c) to maintain a high level of daylight access to Railway Square and its associated open spaces by restricting building height,
(d) to maintain and enhance the visual prominence and landmark significance of the clock tower of Central Railway Station in the views and vistas from various points, particularly along Broadway and George Street, when approaching or departing the city,
(e) to reinforce the urban character and scale of Railway Square by requiring new buildings surrounding the Square to be built to the street alignment, to have street frontage heights consistent with the prevailing form of buildings adjacent to this Special Area, and to have building setbacks above those street frontage heights,
(f) to ensure that any development associated with the important public transport interchange provided at Railway Square is consistent with enhancement of the public domain of Railway Square.
14 Chifley Square
Character Statement
The original concept of the semi-circular form was first proposed by John Sulman in 1908. The same concept resurfaced in 1937 and was proposed by City Engineer Garnsey, as a means of relieving traffic congestion at the junction of Hunter and Elizabeth Streets. The scheme was implemented in 1947.
The completion of Qantas House, with a curved form, in 1957 made a major contribution to the creation of Chifley Square. The place was officially named “Chifley Square” in 1961 in honour of the late Hon J.B. Chifley, former Prime Minister of Australia, and a year later Elizabeth Street was extended creating a public square with a traffic island in the middle.
The final semi-circular form of the Square was formed with the completion of Chifley Tower in 1993 to the east of the Square, which completed the curved form of Qantas House to the west. The building was designed by an international designer and follows the picturesque romantic skyscraper style of the early 20th century American office towers. The detailed elements of the building, whether at street or upper levels exhibit a rather lofty and imposing presence, expressing the corporate nature of the building, which is entirely appropriate by virtue of its location in the financial core of the city. Further public domain works were implemented in 1996-1997 to reclaim the Square, improve its quality and create a sophisticated public plaza.
The area is characterised by large-scale high rise tower buildings interspersed with lower scale development. Despite the fact that the majority of the towers at the edges of the Square are seen as individual elements within the cityscape, they follow the street alignment at lower levels, with a curved alignment to the north creating a distinct sense of enclosure for the Square. The curved form of the Square and the recent Aurora Place to the east, visible within this setting, create a unique urban landscape within the Sydney CBD and provide a visual relief and break in the intensely built up area of the financial centre.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise and enhance Chifley Square as one of the major public open spaces in the heart of the financial centre of the city,
(b) to promote and encourage the use of the space as a destination and meeting place for people,
(c) to interpret the history of the place and its evolution in the design of both public and private domain and create a distinct sense of place inherent in the character of Chifley Square,
(d) to reinforce the urban character and distinct sense of enclosure of Chifley Square by emphasising and reinforcing the semi-circular geometry of the space, requiring new buildings to be integrated with the form of existing buildings and limiting the height of new buildings,
(e) to protect and extend sun access to the Square during lunchtime hours from mid-April to the end of August,
(f) to unify the Square and improve the relationship between the space and the buildings forming it.
15 Farrer Place
Character Statement
Historical evidence shows that Farrer Place dates back as early as 1865, mainly being a street. Its original name was Fountain Street as known in 1871, the name was changed in 1880 to Raphael Street, after the name of an alderman between the 1860s and 70s.
In 1935, the Minister for Agriculture requested that Raphael Street and the triangular plantation space fronting the building housing the Department of Agriculture which, at the time, occupied the southern wing of the Department of Education, be renamed as “Farrer Place”. This was to commemorate William J. Farrer, a noted wheat breeder whose work had incalculable benefit to the wheat growing industry.
The closure of Young Street to traffic formalised the space and gave it the character of a plaza. The place was further enhanced by the development of Governor Macquarie Tower as a major public building, complementing the public and institutional character provided by the Departments of Lands and Education buildings to the west.
The area’s location in the heart of the financial core of the city has resulted in large-scale high rise towers, interspersed with lower scale development, mostly with high quality design and elegant rooftops contributing to the skyline of the city. The limited height of the heritage buildings to the north and west allows solar access and provides some visual relief in this highly built up area.
The orientation of the place to the north allows for views to the water and the Harbour Bridge, while the clock tower of the Lands Department building to the west enhances the views from the place and adjoining streets.
Objectives
The objectives for this Special Area are as follows—
(a) to recognise Farrer Place as one of the important public open spaces in the financial centre of the city for lunchtime meeting, particularly for workers in the vicinity,
(b) to reinforce the urban character and sense of enclosure of Farrer Place by requiring new buildings to be built to the street alignment and have adequate setbacks above that, and by restraining building bulk and scale, particularly to the east and south of the place,
(c) to protect and extend winter sun access to the place, particularly during lunchtime,
(d) to interpret the history of the place and its evolution in the design of new buildings and elements within the public domain and give it its own sense of place,
(e) to improve, enhance and activate the public domain within the place,
(f) to maintain and enhance existing views to Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge to the north and vistas to the tower of the Lands Department building to the west.