New plans to renovate ‘The Kirk’ church on Cleveland Street, Surry Hills

A $5m proposal to reimagine the use of a derelict Surry Hills church – previously owned by infamous Sydney dominatrix ‘Madame Lash’ – as a five storey restaurant, is set to be determined by the council.

Artist impressions of adaptive reuse plans for the The Kirk church, Surry Hills.

A $5m proposal to reimagine the use of a derelict Surry Hills church – used for sex parties in a previous life – as a five-storey restaurant with facilities for a ‘dark kitchen’ is set to be determined by the council.

The fresh development application for ‘The Kirk’ church was lodged after a previous proposal to transform the space into an exhibition space, cafe and accommodation was abandoned amid concerns about the impact of an artist “boarding house” on neighbouring residents.

Plans submitted to the City of Sydney council in November by Cirillo Planning Pty have outlined a vision to adaptively reuse the church with the construction of a five-storey building containing a restaurant and bar and commercial office space.

The proposal states the building at 422-424 Cleveland St, Surry Hills would also be used as a ‘dark’ or ghost kitchen for the preparation of food exclusively for food delivery platforms.

In a report publishing the outcomes of its community engagement, the council noted there had been significant interest in the plans as a result of backlash to the previous proposal for the site.

The Kirk currently sits abandoned. Photo: Supplied.

The Kirk. Photo: Supplied.

The deconsecrated 140-year-old Protestant church has had a colourful past, most recently as a burlesque entertainment palace.

A heritage report for the proposal notes in 1977, ACDC’s ‘Let There Be Rock’ was filmed inside the church at 422-424 Cleveland St, with Bon Scott standing in the pulpit, as “the priest of a new religion”.

Plans submitted for adaptive reuse of the church. Picture: City of Sydney.

Picture: City of Sydney.

After purchasing the site in the 1980s, dominatrix Gretel Pinniger, known as ‘Madame Lash’ hosted sex parties within the church halls.

An “active participant in the Sydney art scene” her purchase “was followed by a period of use characterised by a range of memorable events, such as themed parties, concerts, burlesque shows, art workshops, happenings and other performances of various kinds, even including performances by opera principals,” the heritage report says.

“Gretel regarded the building itself as an artwork to be augmented” with artistic elements including “pagan” artworks, candelabra, and stained glass designed by Pinniger.

Long-term owners, Pyrafount No. 6, had planned to restore the intact church facade and demolish the “dilapidated timber frame” at the rear of the former church hall to make way for 24 double-bed boarding house rooms, two “artist in residence” rooms with attached art studios along with a co-working space and cafe in 2020.

Ms Pinniger aka "Madam Lash" the larger-than-life, very eccentric dominatrix and artist who fascinated the Australian imagination in the '70s and '80s, pictured in the church in 2005. Picture: Erin Byrne.

Picture: Erin Byrne.

Ms Pinniger at her Palm Beach home dungeon.

The council’s report stated residents were keen to see a redevelopment that “improves the site” and has a use that would be “of benefit to the local community”.

It concluded the majority of residents and local business recognised the negative impact of the abandoned site and supported it being repurposed as a hospitality venue.

The development application will be assessed by the council after the exhibition of the plans close on Saturday.