In a major victory for preservationists, one of Sydney’s few examples of brutalist architecture, the Sirius Apartment Building, has been saved from the wrecking ball after court ruled against the government’s attempt to deny it a place on the State Heritage Register.
The government of North South Wales had been attempting to sell the building in order to fund the development of new public housing, arguing that putting the Sirius building on the heritage list would reduce its value by as much as $70 million, causing “undue financial hardship.”
However, the court ruled that the government had ignored a recommendation by the heritage council to list it on the register, rejecting their argument as grounds for refusing an application for listing.
It also ordered the government to pay costs to the Millers Point Community Association, who have fought the building’s demolition through crowdsourced means – nearly $50,000 was donated through fundraising efforts for the legal battle.
The ruling does not automatically grant the Sirius building heritage listing, but requires the government to provide it the opportunity to apply.
Read more about the story at the Sydney Morning Herald.
