Article Topic: Cowper St

In his monthly report, Ian Stephenson, President of the Glebe Society, welcomes the new government’s decision to place a moratorium on the sale of historic housing in the St Phillips and Lyndhurst Estates. And he’s come up with a new name for the developments in Cowper St and Wentworth Park Rd.

The Society has been working to nurture Glebe’s special magic for over 50 years. Our three pillars, community, environment and heritage, remain as relevant as ever. The fact that our membership grew by 10% to 449 shows we continue to engage the people of Glebe.

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 starting point for good urban design lies in a deep understanding of how an area has evolved over time,, said architect and urban planner Philip Thalis, in a recent talk about the evolution of the St Phillips area of Glebe and ways in which future development could echo existing streetscapes and foster social connections between residents.

Glebe is a special place. Its survival owes much to contingency. Social diversity created a remarkable architectural and cultural legacy. The year 2021 has reminded us that we cannot take the protection of Glebe’s social and urban character for granted. The City of Sydney’s well-considered Local Environment Plan and Development Control Plans are being undermined by State and Local governments.

The Development Application to build two eight-storey apartment buildings and five faux terrace houses in the St Phillips Heritage Conservation Area, brings the plaintive melancholy of the Bee Gees’ 1968 hit song Words to mind

Sydney City Council are considering a development application (DA) from the NSW Land and Corporation for the construction of a high-rise development in Cowper Street in what, until very recently, was a Heritage Conservation Area. Submission closing date is 23 June 21

The state government is getting it seriously wrong by doing high rise developments in heritage conservation areas in parts of Glebe.

Glebe Society met with Lord Mayor Clover Moore to discuss social housing. The Glebe Society is opposed to LAHC’s unprincipled vision to create a tale of two suburbs: one which is low-rise and historic and the other which is high-rise and heartless.

Nearly forty years of good planning designed to conserve the scale of the St Phillips Heritage Conservation Area through height controls was overturned on 29 March when Sydney City Council approved the NSW Land and Housing Corporation’s application for a spot rezoning of 17-31 Cowper St and 2A-D Wentworth Park Rd.

Report from the Glebe Society President, Janet Wahlquist on the Society’s recent activities.

Numbers 17-31 Cowper St and 2A-D Wentworth Park Rd are part of the St Phillips Heritage Conservation Area. The current height limit is nine metres. NSW Land and Housing Corporation wants to construct tall buildings, which requires a spot rezoning. The Society has objected to the rezoning application, as has the National Trust. 

The Glebe Society’s letter, published on Jan 1st, 2021, about plans to trash the 50-year legacy of good public policy and town planning in Glebe