18-20 Darlinghurst Road Potts Point NSW 2011

I would ask that Council reject this proposal.

The excessive loss of character in Kings Cross (as is likely from the approval of this proposal) will be detrimental to this city and will benefit only a few. Council needs to take in to account the importance of the area as a tourist destination, a place for locals to live in, and as a unique part of Australia’s urban landscape.

Council should assess the impacts of various parties offering nondescript developments that offer very little to the local area or to the city as a whole. The building as presented in this proposal has token efforts to present a historicist version of several art deco elements of pre-existing buildings, but overall this apartment complex could have been put up as a new development in an outer suburb of Sydney. Kings Cross, once both famous and infamous is now being treated as little more than an expensive ‘vacant lot’ on the outskirts of the city.

Is it worth erasing the memory of the area with ties to Kings Cross institutions like Les Girls to add a nondescript development such as we have on exhibit here?
I have taken from the Executive Summary, as contained in the Heritage Impact Statement as prepared by Urbis.
“All existing buildings within the subject site are constructed to the northern boundary and have active street frontages as they constitute retail premises and a bar. All buildings are contiguous present a solid ‘enclosing’ wall of development to the streetscape with an irregular fenestration pattern. This building typology contributes to the atmosphere and character of the conservation area and provides a backdrop to the highly active Darlinghurst Road streetscape”

Any recommendation to destroy in total the existing buildings along this section of Darlinghurst Road for this proposal in total directly contradicts this statement and renders this report as little more than a flawed ‘formality’ piece submitted as a prelude to destroying the character of this important streetscape.

The former Bourbon & Beefsteak Bar 18-22 Darlinghurst Road.
The façade of the former Bourbon and Beefsteak Bar, with a reasonable setback, should be preserved. The character of the street is enhanced by its presence.
The history of the former Bourbon and Beefsteak Bar buildings are given slight coverage within this report and it should be noted that the building was a significant location during the R&R era (during the Vietnam War) and as such does tie the building to the social history of the era. This is missing from the report.

The report is relatively vague in describing the origins and continued use of the building and as such should be subject to further research (though the façade is a worthy addition to the streetscape whether it be Victorian or Federation era in origin). The Italianate facades are largely intact and should not be erased from the streetscape. Preservation and retention of this façade (at least) is required.

The ‘logic’ as outlined in the report that somehow contributory buildings are not worthy to preserve as a façade (with a reasonable setback) is absurd and will set a poor precedent for heritage retention and streetscape in the Sydney LGA if this proposal is approved. Contradictory to the steadfast position taken that somehow only intact buildings are worthy of preservation, the development presents a false, historicist, version of Art Deco and as such contradicts the notion that contributory structures somehow have no value, or that façade retention is somehow ‘fake’. ‘Interpretations’ of heritage streetscapes offer far less authenticity.

The “atmosphere” and “character” of this section of Kings Cross (again, as mentioned in the executive summary of the H.I.S.) will be lost if this proposal goes ahead as submitted and I recommend that the Council reject the proposal as lodged.

A skilled developer and architect could still create a development that would incorporate the heritage elements and as such preserve the very worthy facades and streetscape elements affected by this proposal, whilst providing a viable apartment development.

Aforementioned points are well put. I note the developers (represeative/s) even seek to eradicate the name "Kings Cross", preferring to remind people at every opportunity that the area is in fact "Potts Point" - shameless extracting every possible monetary uplift.