SUBMISSION TO HERITAGE VICTORIA SAVE DIMMEYS I Mr Jim Gard’ner Executive Director HERITAGE VICTORIA Level 4, 55 Collins Street G.P.O.Box 2392 MELBOURNE Vic 3001 heritage.permits@dpcd.vic.gov.au
August 4, 2010
ATTENTION: Ms Joanne Day Dear Mr Gard’ner
DIMMEYS, 140-160 SWAN STREET, CREMORNE. VIC 3121. H2184, P15249
The new owners of the thrift store Dimmeys in Swan Street, Cremorne, (Richmond Icon Pty Ltd) supported the submission that the landmark property be added to the Victorian Heritage Register. A move that would normally protect the distinctive Swan Street building and its clock tower from inappropriate development. However, the third revised plans are totally inappropriate. The 102-year-old building is considered one of the city's best examples of large development stores built during the pre-World War I retail boom, following the 1890s depression. The inclusion of ‘Dimmeys’ on the Heritage Register includes the mural on the Eastern side of the building, facing Green Street, Cremorne. It took more than four years for artist Hayden Dewar, 31, to paint. All the while he braced himself to see the work destroyed. The revised Dimmeys plans from Richmond Icon Pty Ltd, show the removal of a large section of this heritage listed mural, this is just vandalism at its best, under the guise of conservation to produce a covered doorway entrance to the Dimmeys apartment tower. Hayden Dewar, the artist who created the mural, was recently quoted as saying “that the developers are planning to do to the wall what vandals didn’t”. The developers are proposing to take a sledgehammer to the mural and then create an entrance doorway. The intention to demolish a part of the mural at the southern end of Green Street is totally unacceptable. The proposed removal of part of the Green Street Mural is a removal of significant fabric, the physical parts of the exterior place, that contribute to its heritage value which will be diminished. The heritage value of the place will effectively will be downgraded to less significance, as significant parts of the building have been removed and are no longer whole. Listed below are some of the grounds, which we believe outline the heritage fabric, which will be erased from this heritage-listed site and the outcomes if this development were to proceed: 1.
The proposal by Richmond Icon Pty Ltd to re-develop the ‘Dimmeys’ Store in Swan Street is an inappropriate overdevelopment of the site. An eleven-storey tower is too high, and not acceptable transition.
2.
A major feature of the site’s significance is the unimpeded views of the Dimmey’s Clock Tower from all directions. This view of the clock tower particularly from the South-West would no longer be retained, thus affecting the significance of the Heritage Place.
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Lovell Chen, Heritage Consultants, state that there will be only 10% ‘impacted area’, which will affect views to the Dimmeys Clock Tower. We dispute this, and feel that the impact is much greater. Particularly as Lovell Chen have stated they “have not prepared an updated Heritage Impact Statement report” concerned with the Revised Plans.
4.
There would be considerable overshadowing to the South and West if the tower is built.
5.
The proposal will result in an unacceptable loss of heritage fabric while the plans for ElevenStoreys are even more out of scale with the Swan Street Precinct Heritage area and will block significant views of the landmark Dimmeys Clock Tower.
6.
The proposed development does not respect the objectives of development of heritage places; the proposed development is not in a manner, which is appropriate to the significance, character and appearance of the heritage area.
7.
The proposed Eleven-Storey tower development will have a negative impact on the Heritage Values and fabric of the Heritage Place. The significance of the Heritage Place (Dimmeys Clock Tower and Store) will be impacted on, as the place relates to the visual dominance of an ElevenStorey Tower some 25 metres away. The proposed changes will impact on the features identified in the statement of significance.
8.
The proposed changes to this historic place are in conflict with the cultural heritage significance and values of the place, and the proposed alterations to the building conflict with its significance as being a Registered Place of significance.
9.
The proposed tower will affect the visual attributes of the Heritage Place such as form, bulk, scale, colour, texture and materials. The setbacks, layouts, scale, form, design, height, bulk and materials and finishes of the proposed 11 storey apartment tower development on the land, will adversely impact on the significance of the setting and the significant building on the site, The new work is out of proportion to the Heritage Place. The new development should be recessive and respectfully contemporary in design and not dominate over the site.
10. As Dimmey’s Model Store is a Registered Heritage Place with the highest level of significance, it is appropriate that the heritage values be respected by the presumption in favour of preservation, because of its integrity and rarity and the underlying historical significance of the place. 11. The interface of the new works with the existing building (heritage place) do not respect the significant values attributed to the heritage place. 12. The location, design and type of new building link with the existing heritage place detract from the character and appearance of the existing heritage building. 13. The new external alterations and additions are not recessive in location and scale to the significant building; they dominate and detract from the significance of the heritage building. 14. The implications of the new external alterations, additions and works on the existing significant building have not been considered. 15. The proposed cutting of the mural in Green Street should be avoided, as it is the destruction of existing significant building fabric. New entries are proposed; particular consideration must be given to the integrity and significance of the existing building fabric, location of proposed entry and its associated features. The proposed mural alterations, visible from the public realm do not respect the significant parts of this building; consideration has not been given to the mural integrity and significance of the existing building fabric, and the location of the proposed entry within the existing mural wall. The impacts have not been minimised.
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16. The rhythm of the 11 storey apartment tower would negatively impact upon the prominence of the adjoining and adjacent Contributing Elements, including the impact from adjacent streets which are visible from the public realm; the new building would diminish the prominence of the existing landmark building which are Contributory Elements in the Area. 17. The new building does not enhance the character and appearance of the Heritage Place. The new building adversely affects the significance, character and appearance of the area. The Contributory Elements do not retain their prominence in the Heritage Place and would be dominated by new buildings. The proposed development is an unreasonable change within the Heritage Place and heritage objectives are not met. 18. The new 11-storey apartment tower building does not reinforce the existing spatial and visual characteristics of a Heritage Place. The design of the new 11-storey apartment tower building does not have close regard to context and reflect the relationships between nearby Contributory Elements and the streetscape.
CONCLUSION: We hereby submit that the revised application, to demolish the rear and interiors of Dimmey’s Department Store, (Heritage Place No. H2184) and construct an Eleven-Storey apartment building, is completely incompatible with all the objectives of conservation and preserving heritage listed buildings on the Heritage Register, and should be refused. The proposal will result in an unacceptable loss of heritage fabric, while the revised plans for an eleven storey tower is even more out of proportion with the heritage building than the previous plans, more out of scale with the Swan Street Heritage Area and still block significant views of the landmark tower. Yours sincerely
Allan Harris Secretary SAVE DIMMEYS mailto: savedimmeys@gmail.com http://www.twitter.com/savedimmeys http://www.issuu.com/savedimmeys
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