24 Oswell Street, Rockdale NSW 2216

Another heritage home gone to ruin. I just had a look at some of the images of this lovely home online. Sandstone features and beautiful windows. When will people realise that its more valuable to keep these old brick homes as they are rather than making fast money through quick developments? I'm sad to see that the new owners don't see the true value of this property.

A look at the surrounding area indicates that construction of a two storey detached dual occupancy development, is in harmony with a number of preexisting two story neighbouring houses in the local vicinity on Oswell Street. Being on a corner block provides this development with ease of access from two street frontages. Hence, it is appropriate to subdivide this block. Sandstone footings are very common on uneven blocks with property gradients - this does not make them "features". A shabby conglomeration of mixed aluminium and timber windows do not deserve preservation by virtue of the fact they are merely windows. Neither of these factors are appropriate reasons to preserve this house. As such, it is therefore not surprising that this house is not listed as heritage in the Local Environment Plan as there is nothing special about it. As such, it should not be labeled as "heritage" when it is clearly not. The DA proposed is congruent with the surrounding area and council should support sensible and sustainable developments like this.