3-Doc17-496224--Recommendation
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From: To: OEH HD Heritage Mailbox Subject: To the Heritage Council in support of extending the curtilage of Varroville Homestead Date: Wednesday, 9 August 2017 7:44:10 PM Importance: High To whom it may concern, My name is , and I would be probably the longest resident in Varroville at this point in time. I have seen many changes over the years and fear that some proposed changes will strip this area of its historic value. The Scenic Hills is not only ascetic, but it holds great history to Early Australia which we need to ensure we preserve. I understand that the Heritage Council is currently considering whether to extend the curtilage of the Homestead to include the surrounding land on the State Heritage Register (SHR). I support the idea of an extension of the current curtilage. We have seen in the past mistakes made with allowing developments encroach on heritage sites, and lived to regret these. We do not want the same to happen to the historic Varroville Homestead, the outbuildings and land. There is far too much rich early Australian History associated with the Homestead, and it needs to be protected. Let us not make the same mistakes like we have seen with Blair Athol. Please extend curtilage of Varroville Homestead. Protect this beautiful historic area before it is too late. There are not many heritage homes with land left these days. Do not let Varroville Homestead and farmland become another statistic… Yours Sincerely, This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com From: To: OEH HD Heritage Mailbox Subject: The Secretary Heritage Council. Cliffe about Varroville & Denham Court Heritage. CORRECT VERSION Date: Monday, 31 July 2017 12:48:37 PM Dear Secretary, The Greater Sydney Commission has taken over planning for Sydney. On the 21-11-2016 they released the first draft of its district plans. You can find them on the following link: http://www.greatersydneycommission.nsw.gov.au/south-west-district In these plans, they signal the intention to upgrade Campbelltown Road which passes between Denham Court and the Denham Court Anglican Church. This church was the original chapel built in honour of Richard Brooks by Cristiana Passmore Brooks and her daughter Christiana Eliza on the farm. Please see attached info. The original plans were on exhibition for comment until March 2017. The Scenic Hills Association at [email protected] [secretary Jacqui Kirby] opposed the upgrade based on its further potential damage to heritage sites that have been neglected since the early 70s. The Heritage Act of 1977? did afford some protection of the Denham Court site but the surrounding property has been carved up and the original Homestead has been in private ownership since the 70s. 1960s-70s dilapidation due to neglect. How Denham Court originally looked. The church and homestead have significant Heritage value to the local area, the history of the early colony and the history of Georgian architecture in Australia. The Brooks and Blomfield families had significant family ties to William Cox who built the first road over the Blue Mountains and other major projects. The Brooks family were significant to our convict history and church history through Richard and Christiana Brooks’ involvement with everything from trade, transportation and charity. Adjoining Varroville has significant value as an architectural and historical landmark that is threatened by the acquisition of privately owned land for a cemetery. The curtilage extension on exhibition is less than that recommended in the Scenic Hills Organisation’s curtilage report. It is simply what owners of the adjoining land have given preliminary agreement to (or have not objected to) – the owners being: the CMCT (B/370979), 22/564065, and 1/218016), and Campbelltown City Council which manages (for the Department of Planning) the lot adjoining the M31 (Lot 4/239557). The parts that have been excluded through lack of owner agreement are: 1. Most of Lot B/370979 (including Bunbury Curran Hill, quoted in Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s diary). This is where the CMCT wants to put its cemetery administration buildings. 2. Land up to a ridgeline in front of the Varro Ville buildings (east of the proposed curtilage) that is owned by Scenic Pty Ltd (part lot 1/541916). I believe Heritage Act superintendence of heritage sites with private ownership can lead to satisfactory preservation of heritage sites. I believe the curtilage expansion is essential to provide this balance between private maintenance of the site with government administration. I urge you to approve the curtilage expansion as it is a considerable improvement on the current situation. I believe the NSW Heritage Council (and Heritage Minister) should consider going further and include all the excluded land above (1 and 2), consistent with the Statements of Significance for Varro Ville, to protect all those elements in that landscape from inappropriate development. Additionally, the whole Denham Court area should be viewed as a special heritage area precinct similar in quality to parts of Windsor and Parramatta. What we don’t preserve now will be lost to our grandchildren. The great difficulty for some private owners such as the Anglican church who own St Marys Denham Court is the necessary funds to restore the buildings and fittings. I do note the wonderful work several recent owners of the original Denham Court Mansion have done to preserve the character of the original John Verge design. The Heritage Council should require any redevelopment of the Varroville be as sympathetic to the original design and function of all the historical buildings on the site. Two articles below. Best Regards, From: Macarthur Campaign To: OEH HD Heritage Mailbox Subject: Varroville Homestead and Estate - Proposed extension of curtilage Date: Wednesday, 9 August 2017 10:58:49 AM To the Heritage Council of NSW, The Macarthur Greens write in support of the proposed extension of curtilage surrounding the Varroville Homestead and Estate. We recognise and fully support formal recognition of the unique heritage value and importance of the Varroville Homestead and Estate, and note that the heritage value of the complex is not only in the building itself but in the surrounding environment and context, and that recognising the value of the surrounding environment is vital to maintaining the integrity of the Estate. We agree with and support the Historic Themes and Assessment of Significance. We note that the proposed curtilage extension is less than that recommended in the 2016 study due to the objections of surrounding landowners and that this extension is a compromise based on those objections. We would prefer more extensive expansion of the curtilage and support future moves in that direction. However, we fully support the current proposal as a best-case-scenario for the current circumstances. Camden Residents' Action Group Incorporated Camden – Still a Country Town Website : http://www.crag.org.au/ Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/CRAG- PO Box 188 Camden-Residents-Action-Group-Inc- Camden NSW 2570 1805705173088888/ Email: [email protected] Heritage Council of NSW Locked Bag 5020 Parramatta NSW 2124 Email: [email protected] 8 August 2017 Dear Heritage Council, Re: Varro Ville Homestead (SHR No. 00737) curtilage We reference the resolution of the Heritage Council meeting of 5 July 2017 to give notice of intention to list a revision and extension to the curtilage of Varro Ville Homestead located in the Scenic Hills between Camden and Campbelltown. This letter is to wholeheartedly support the curtilage extension. The Scenic Hills area, fast becoming a green island surrounded by urbanisation, is a continual target for developers despite its importance as a visual backdrop and environmental asset to the people of NSW and as a wildlife corridor connecting Western Sydney Parklands through to and beyond the Mount Annan Botanical Gardens. The latest proposal by the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (CMCT) to develop a cemetery is incompatible with the open space and rural character of the Hills and the area surrounding Varro Ville homestead. The community is repeatedly called to battle against would-be developers of the Scenic Hills although their ecological, environmental and scenic importance is acknowledged and recognised in planning instruments. For instance development in the Scenic Hills contradicts the Greater Sydney Commission Draft South 1 West District Plan which includes protecting the area's 'majestic and largely pastoral landscape rich with Aboriginal and European cultural significance' through statutory controls1. The Varroville Homestead on 8 acres is state listed but the Statements of Significance refer to elements and agricultural features in the surrounding landscape intrinsic to its importance that absolutely need to be protected by capture within its curtilage. We believe that private land owners should be urged to appreciate the value of environmental protection of this iconic landscape. It is our view that it is in the interests of the residents of south west Sydney, the people of NSW and future generations that the curtilage of Varro Ville be extended as far as possible. Yours sincerely, President Camden Residents' Action Group Inc 1 Greater Sydney Commission SW District Draft Plan November 2016 pp. 9, 130 2 Ro.al Australian istorical Societ. 133 ,acquarie .treet, .ydney N.0 2000 Tel 02 9247 8001 C FaA 02 9247 7854 C www rahs org au C history*rahs org au ! ST!'F&J!SQRV! ! %8C./01,!2AF45.&!A9!782!