JUSTICE COWDROY'S DA IS FLUSHED FROM THE DUNNY LANE

http://digitaledition.wentworthcourier.com.au/#folio=009

"MAKE US AN OFFER" was the statement made by Justice Cowdroy's Barrister to Surrey Street neighbours in the corridor out side Council chambers after this meeting on Monday evening

http://wentworth-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/caldwell-street-laneway-house-fate-in-the-air/

NEWS IN THE WENTWORTH COURIER - HELP STOP THE DEVELOPMENT

http://wentworth-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/conditions-made-on-judges-1-site/

NEW REVISED DA POSTED - STILL NONCOMPLIANT AND UGLY

New 2-Storey Scheme posted on Council's Website today. The same noncompliance issues exist as the first scheme including:

1. Still completely blocks lane and removes rear lane 
2.  Still over the 1:1 FSR. 
3. Overall incongruous and blank massing remains as an eyesore and removes sunlight and heritage view amenity to Surrey Street heritage terraces
4. No mention or recognition of heritage issues for Surrey Street terraces in SEE or by heritage consultant 
5. Peaked roof containing over the FSR floor area is incongruous to surrounding buildings 
6.   Improper setbacks for privacy screening 
7.  Low budget “fake sandstone” and coloured materials are incongruous to high quality heritage setting 
8.  Noncompliant skylight in roof at front façade
9. Trash bin issue still unresolved – shown sitting in front of the front entry door inside the living area –we know where this will actually end up – in the street next to Beares Stairs.
10. Incomplete drawings and technical reports as required by the Council DA checklist.
11. Tree, drainage and excavation issues not addressed.
12. Shadow diagrams not prepared by a registered surveyor
13. Inadequate notification for signage, mailers and response time 
14.   Building does not add amenity..it subtracts.

The Laneway, although a private parcel, has commonly been referred to either a Rear Access Lane or ROW (Right of Way). See attached Council document:

Caldwell Lane is the 6th propert shown on this list as ROW

Curious Document: A certain Mark Taylor is a witness to Title Creation of the Dunny Lane. See the Land and Environment Court website for past commissioners. You will see the names Stafford Watts and Mark Taylor on this list. Notice also the STATEMENT OF PURPOSE of the Land and Environmental Court: "the highest standards of competency and personal integrity of its judges, commissioners and support staff." Is that what is happening here??

http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/lec/ll_lec.nsf/pages/LEC_currentdirectory

Justice Cowdroy told the Australian that he did not purchase the Dunny Lane. See the attached document acquired by freedom of information showing him as the "purchaser" in the "Cowdroy Purchase" surveying document.

Justice Cowdroy told the Australian that he did not purchase the $1 Dunny Lane, and that his company "Specialist Advocates" did. See the company search below which shows Dennis Cowdroy as the Director of this company. When neighbours found out that the lane was sold and asked the Architect Stafford Watts if he could reveal the owner, he replied " I am not able to divulge that information".

This is the principal facade of the development - a blank wall four stories tall that overshadows neighbours and removes a heritage laneway. Note: The large tree shown does not exist.

Principal Elevation Facing Neighbours

Note:

Tree does not exist.

The scheme as presented does not comply with the most basic of controls including the height limit, floor space ratio (proposal is 2.5 times over), heritage, overshadowing, privacy, setbacks and basic facade modulation. The DA image below submitted to Council for approval is also dishonest. The large tree shown in front of the principal blank facade does not even exist.

The Height Limit is 9 Meters - Note the 15m Proposal

A Four Storey Blank Wall of "Rapidwall" Covers Heritage Sandstone and Blocks the Laneway

Stafford Watts: The Architect and former Land and Environment Court Commissioner. He served on the LEC court during the tenure of Justice Cowdroy. According Sydney City Council, he is currently in private negotiations to reduce the scheme just slightly. According to Council it might be approved without further notifications or public review. Meanwhile, neighbours are demanding transparency and cannot understand why former members of the Land and Environment Court are allowed to have the appearance of special access in both the purchase of the land for $1 without an auction and the approval of a non compliant development - right in their own back yards.

Justice Dennis Cowdroy: Director of Specialist Advocates, developer of the Dunny Lane. Currently a federal judge. Formerly a judge for the Land and Environment Court.

Given that the Development Application notification was posted on the wrong property, and neighbours had trouble understanding that a 2.7meterwide laneway was actually going to be developed into a 4-storey house, the neighbours of Surrey Street hung a banner in their opposition campaign to the laneway DA:

Council has demanded neighbours remove the banner from their own property.
No free speech allowed?

The story makes the second page of th Sydney Morning Herald...

http://smh.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/all-rise--judge-crams-fourstorey-house-into-1-block-20110221-1b2kt.html

The story makes the front page of the The Australian

Aerial Photo 1947: Terrace House Group and Caldwell Lane intact

Old Sydney maps dating back to 1885 showing the original 75-79 Surrey Street Terrace House Group and Caldwell Lane behind them as the Rear Access Service Laneway.

Existing Caldwell Lane: A rear access laneway since 1885 to the heritage listed properties at 75-79 Surrey Street Darlinghurst. In the first image is Beares Stairs, a state listed heritage item.

HELP STOP THE UNETHICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CALDWELL LANE