REPRODUCED FROM: MOSMAN DAILY 8 MAY 2014
Demolition derbymore rebuilds in plan for aged-care site
By Adam Bell
Residents fighting the aged-care facility proposed for Middle Head say the latest plans reveal that the developer intends to demolish and rebuild most of the buildings on the site.
The discovery was made by an architect who assessed the revised plans submitted last week.
“The demolition as documented is misleading,” architect Michal Tomaszewski said of several existing buildings on the site.
“By the time the roof, ceiling and internal walls are demolished there will be nothing bracing the external walls. They will become unstable and for safety will have to be demolished.” President of Headland Preservation Group Linda Bergin said the architect's advice is proof the plans are to rebuild rather than reuse the buildings.
The Harbour Trust's charter states that buildings can be leased for adaptive reuse, not demolition.
“The fact that they are seeking to demolish virtually all of the heritage buildings sets a very dangerous precedent,” Ms Bergin said. The new proposal, submitted to the Department of Environment last week, is for 86 rooms and does not include the timber barracks buildings, which are earmarked for demolition by the Harbour Trust.
A Trust spokesman said, “The buildings facing the street on the north and facing the park on the south would not be demolished.” The original plans included parking for 36 cars under the barracks. The revised plans include a carpark on the west side of the site for 27 spaces.
Ms Bergin said the new carpark means there will be a loss of public open space. “We believe that the overall footprint is larger than what we are led to believe,” she said. “This is because they have to put the 36 car spaces that were under the barracks buildings somewhere.”
HPG will hold a public meeting at 6.30pm, on Thursday, May 8 at the Mosman Senior Centre.