Uniting Church locked in stoush over Maroubra development

Church leaders are locked in a development stoush with planning bosses over permission to knock down their own holy buildings.

As the development is at the planning proposal phase - not DA phase - the images are only indications of the final design.

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Church leaders are locked in a development stoush with planning bosses over permission to knock down their own holy buildings.

They are seeking permission to demolish Hope Uniting Church at 829 Anzac Parade, Maroubra, along with the neighbouring Corio House, two semi-detached buildings and various amenity blocks and a community garden.

In their place they want to build a new 300-capacity church, a five-storey student accommodation block with 51 beds and a communal garden.

But Randwick Planning Panel has knocked back the proposal, arguing the community will lose a key heritage asset.

The church will be demolished as part of the plans. Picture: Google Maps

The panel’s concerns centre around Corio House, which is heritage listed.

The building was granted protection in 1987 for several reasons.

It is associated with the Glanfields family who were prominent in Sydney in the early 1900s. Surry Hills builder John Glanfield built the property shortly before the First World War and heritage papers suggest it was one of the first residences in Maroubra.

It is built on cement slabs which have been mixed with ash, obtained by burning scrub growing on the site. This unusual construction technique and its Edwardian cottage style are also both listed as reasons for its heritage status.

It has been used by the church since 1959 but prior to that it had been a mail distribution point and maternity hospital.

“The proposal provides insufficient justification on heritage conservation grounds to support

the heritage delisting and subsequent demolition of Corio House,” Randwick Planning Panel, which is led by former state MP Garry West, concluded.

The heritage listed Corio House

“The costs to the community associated with the loss of an item of local heritage significance

have not been adequately considered or addressed.”

But Reverend Andrew Johnson said there was no reason why Corio House should be heritage listed.

“We are disappointed with the decision of the panel,” he said. “There is no reason why it should be heritage listed.”

The church carried out its own research and claim it is unlikely Corio House is one of Maroubra’s first. Church bosses have also questioned any significant connection to the Glanfield family and questioned the construction method.

Arguing in favour of knocking the cottage down, Rev Johnson said the new proposal would be of huge benefit for the community.

The new church building will have rooms for 51 students

“We have so many community groups use our facilities, from AA, to parents’ groups and foodbanks. This is going to be great for them.”

As well as the new church, a block is proposed with space for 51 student bedrooms.

The block would also house offices, a kitchen, cafe and meeting rooms.

The church offers accommodation for students in the surrounding buildings, including in Corio House.

Most come from other churches and study at UNSW.

”Probably 90 per cent study at UNSW,” Rev Johnson said. “But we’ve also had students staying who study at NIDA and TAFE. The most important thing for us is that the students who stay want to put back into the community.”

The proposal would drastically increase the number of students at the site.

Rev Johnson said the community will benefit hugely.

The planning panel also expressed concerns over the design’s bulk and scale. Members concluded it “would create a poor urban design outcome” for Anzac Parade and said it was “overbearing” for neighbouring properties.

The panel unanimously voted not to forwarded the planning proposal to the Greater Sydney Commission for gateway determination.

Rev Johnson said the church would review its options.

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