Article Topic: Bidura

Bidura, the heritage listed former home of architect Edmund Blacket on Glebe Point Road s now on offer for short term lease.

The Glebe Society’s Heritage Subcommittee is tasked with improving the amenity of Glebe and Forest Lodge by opposing development detrimental to heritage values or contrary to community interests; with encouraging sound town planning, architectural and conservation practices; and stimulating interest in the history and character of Glebe and Forest Lodge.

Updates about development applications (DAs) for Bidura, St Scholastica’s College, Wesley Lodge and 82 Wentworth Park Road, currently being referred to the Local Planning Panel by the City of Sydney.

Bidura at 357 Glebe Point Road was built in 1860 by Edmund Blacket and is listed on the State Heritage Register. Property developer Vision Land has plans to demolish the Metropolitan Remand Centre (behind the heritage building) and replace it with an apartment block. The Council is expected to make a decision about the latest DA in mid-December. Meanwhile the heritage building and fence look to be in serious need of repair.

The Society has been working to nurture Glebe’s special magic for over fifty years. Active engagement with the planning process is an important part of this. The Planning Subcommittee has been very busy in this area over the last year. Our work has included making submissions on development applications, participating in meetings with the City of Sydney and the NSW Land and Housing Corporation, Infrastructure NSW and making detailed submissions on State Significant Developments.

The Society has lodged a follow-up submission in relation to the Bidura development application (DA) which proposes a large scale apartment complex behind the heritage-listed building, replacing the concrete Metropolitan Remand Centre/Childrens Court built in the early 1980s. This follows a period of consultation between the City of Sydney and the developers, Visionland, and amendments to their original proposal. The Society believes that aspects of the proposed development will be alien to the architectural character of Glebe and should not be approved.

The DAs for the demolition of the Metropolitan Remand Centre and construction of a new housing development behind the heritage-listed Bidura House are now on public exhibition. We explain the plans and why we are concerned about them.

In danger of demolition by neglect, heritage-listed Bidura in Glebe Point Road, continues to deteriorate

When the NSW Heritage Act was introduced in 1977 it was a turning point in the protection of our built heritage. However, all is not as it should be, and important heritage listed buildings in Glebe continue to deteriorate.

I wish to express my appreciation to all subcommittee members for their passion, dedication and collaboration as a team. Some of our work is highlighted below.

A new Development Application for the Vision Land’s planned development of the Bidura site has been lodged with the City of Sydney. Read the Glebe Society’s submission on the proposal.