NOTE Due to the time constraints in producing this Report it was difficult to follow up on other means of community action .
The fight to save Griffith House, St George Hospital campus has highlighted the importance of trying to save our heritage by grassroots action in our local communities .The Department of Health could never have expected the strength of feeling and support attached to the Griffith House campaign by the Kogarah community . They possibly preferred” stealth by night “; the Kogarah community were prepared to stand and fight for what they believe in . And that is what they did …………
Timeline
* September 1 2011 a meeting of CEO, St George Public Hospital with Kogarah Council – discussion of new Emergency Department, St George Hospital ( sourced from Department of Planning and Infrastructure website)
*December 21 2011 Director General’s Environmental Assessment requirements were issued. ( sourced from Department of Planning and Infrastructure website)
* March 3 2012 Amended DGR’s issued –covered Environmental Planning Instruments; Policies , Guidelines and Planning Agreements; built Form and Urban Design ; Ecologically Sustainable Development ; Amenity ;Landscaping; Noise and vibration ; Transport and Accessibility ; Heritage; Existing Structures on Site ; Infrastructure and Utilities; Sediment , Erosion and Dust Controls ; Groundwater ; Hazards; Plans and Documents; Consultation .
*August 2012 –residents in Gray Street, Kogarah received a letter dated August 16 2012 from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure.
*August 2012 SSD 529 St George Hospital New Emergency Department on Department of Planning and Infrastructure website – Prepare DGRs, DGRs Issued, Exhibition ,Preparing Responses to Submissions , assessment , Determination Exhibition start August 23 2012 –closes September 21 2012
*September 8 2012 Council elections . Kogarah Councillors were made aware of the plans by an email from a Director on August 29 2012 . The Council was in “caretaker mode’ for the Council elections.
*September 11 2012 Submission from Kogarah Council to Department of Planning and Infrastructure
*In mid -September 2012, a Kogarah resident saw , by chance , a plan on the old Hospital kiosk in Kensington Street, Kogarah . He then informed Catherine Stanmore that the plan indicated that” Griffith House was to be demolished. “ This was when the community first learned about the proposed demolition , as it had been kept low key by the Department of Health.
* September 21 2012 submissions to Department of Planning and Infrastructure closed . The Department allowed late submissions.
*September 24 2012 Anne Field , a local Kogarah resident and a former Rockdale City Councillor and Kogarah Councillor , was contacted by Catherine Stanmore , a Kogarah resident .She asked Anne, a heritage advocate , to develop a community campaign to save Griffith House .
* September 26 2012 an email from Leah Chiswick , Senior Planner Kogarah Council to Catherine Stanmore . This email indicated that the St George Hospital Emergency Department redevelopment was a State Significant Development under the State Environmental Planning Policy ( State and Regional Development ) 2011 . Hospitals which have a capital value of more than $30million are deemed State Significant development. The Department of Planning and infrastructure is responsible for the assessment of the application and the Minister for Planning is the consent authority.
*On October 2 2012 the St George Leader published the first of its many articles on Griffith House.
*Mid -October 2012 Councillor Lachlan Mclean, North Ward Councillor, completed a letterbox drop in Kogarah South to alert residents to the possible demolition of Griffith House .
* Once the Kogarah community was aware of the planned demolition , many residents , local Historical Societies, and interested individuals from outside the Kogarah Municipality , specialist heritage architects ,and some Kogarah and Rockdale Councillors , wrote letters. These letters were sent to many different people – Ministers for Planning ( Hazzard) , Health ( Skinner ) , and Heritage ( Parker ) ; Cherie Burton MP for Kogarah ; Ms Cath Whitehurst, Director of Operations ,St George Hospital ; Dr Terry Clout. Late submissions were forwarded to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure and were later displayed on their site. Submissions were public documents.
* October 2012 – a small group of residents, who called themselves Friends of Griffith House, met regularly to co-ordinate and run the campaign.This group was made up of Anne Field, Jeff Powys, John McCormack , Kevin Coleman , Catherine Stanmore and Dr Terry and Suzanne O ‘Connor. Individual members of this group wrote their own submissions to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure along with other specific letters of objection .
*October 9 2012 Anne Field was contacted by one of her 1980 ex – students from St George Girls High School, Kogarah. The environmental lawyer was able to provide a list of Heritage Consultants, whom she has briefed on heritage matters before The Land and Environment Court. The Friends of Griffith House were then able to engage a Heritage Consultant to produce an independent Heritage Report. This was then to be sent to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure as a community submission.
* October 9 2012 Anne Field spoke with Lynette Gurr, Heritage Architect from NBRS and Partners . A cost agreement was formulated on October 11 2012 and Lynette was then engaged by Friends of Griffith House.
* October 9 2012 (approximately ) Anne Field spoke to Vincent Sicari of Heritage Branch
* October 10 2012 Anne Field contacted Dr Andrew Mc Donald ,Shadow Minister for Health and Linda Burney , Shadow Minister for Planning , Infrastructure and Heritage. A Shadow Ministerial reshuffle took place on October 17 2012, and Barbara Perry then became the Shadow Minister for Heritage.
*October 13 2012 Mara Barnes Conservation Services Co-ordinator The National Trust contacted
* October 15 2012 Kogarah Council’s updated submission to Department of Planning and Infrastructure .
Point 3 raised the following
“there has been significant concern raised by the local community with respect to the demolition of Griffith House ,which is identified as an item of local significance in Schedule 3 of Kogarah LEP 1998. ( This was an error Griffith House had Regional Significance)
Council’s Heritage Advisor provided comments in relation to the proposed demolition of Griffith House and considers the building to be substantially intact with respect to principal spaces and layout, original fabric and external form . He also notes that the building makes a valuable contribution to the streetscape, and can be appreciated for its aesthetic and historic qualities.
Council notes from the documentation provided that Griffith House will not be demolished because it is not significant, but rather because a State Planning instrument allows or facilitates it to be demolished. Council considers that with the demolition of Griffith House , the Kogarah LGA will lose high quality historical evidence of a residential development using Victorian Italianate stylistic influence, and a place significant for its historic values.
Sourced from Department of Planning and Infrastructure website
* October 15 2012 An email receipt to Anne Field’s initial email to Ms Emily Janov, Executive Office ,Sutherland Hospital requesting a meeting of 4 residents with the Hospital Board. Mr M Iemma ,former Premier of NSW, was the Chair of the Hospital Board. No meeting took place. Mr Iemma was also contacted separately by Anne Field through the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
* October 19 2012 Daily Telegraph article by Vikki Campion on Griffith House
*October 22 2012 Late Mayoral Minute Council Meeting . Kogarah Council recommended saving the house by moving it.
*October 25 2012 a meeting was held at Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney in Cherie Burton’s office. Present were Cherie Burton MP for Kogarah; Barbara Perry MP Shadow Minister for Heritage; Phil Cortis, Project Director for Health Infrastructure ; Health Department representatives; Project Architect ; Dr Adam Chan, CEO Emergency Department ; Anne Field and John Mc Cormack .
* October 31 2012 Additional suggestions which were made by residents were sent to Cherie Burton MP so that they could be passed on to the Health Department Project Management team
*November 2 2012 ABC television was contacted for a programme on “Buildngs in Danger Around Australia “
* November 4 2012 Stephen Green, Clive Lucas Stapleton and Partners joined local residents for a site inspection , Griffith House
*November 7 2012 Sean Johnson from Clive Lucas Stapleton and Partners sent letter to the relevant Ministers in support of the retention of Griffith House.
* November 7 2012 Alan Jones Show contacted by Suzanne O’ Connor. We were unsuccessful in getting air time.
*November 12 2012 Anne Field wrote to Dr T Clout, Chief Executive Officer NSW Health South Eastern Sydney Local Health Distric. This was in response to his November 6 2012 letter to Dr T and Mrs S O’ Connor.
* December 17 2012 the Hon Ms M Pavey MLC Parliamentary Secretary for Health responded to Anne Field’s letter . It was the same wording as in Dr Clout’s letter . Residents also received the same letter.
*December 20 2012 ,a public meeting, to which residents were invited by Ms Cherie Burton’s office , was held in the Board Room, St George Hospital . Whilst questions were permitted , they were not answered openly and honestly –Health Department spin appeared to determine the responses .
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The community members present were most disappointed at the meeting. The fact that the Master Plan had not been made available to Kogarah Council and to the community was made an issue after this meeting.
* Mid- January 2013 The Health Department were forced to relent, as a result of pressure, from the media and Friends of Griffith House , and provide a copy of the Master Plan to Kogarah Council . Council had tried unsuccessfully for one year to obtain a copy of the Master Plan . A copy was also made available in Customer Service for the community to read .
*January 7 2013 Sean Johnson , Heritage Architect from a leading Sydney Heritage firm wrote to The Hon Melinda Pavey MLC to inform her that Griffith House was in fact heritage listed.
*January 9 2013 Anne Field met with Peter Duggan , heritage architect to discuss Griffith House.
* January 11 2013 letter to Sam Haddad, Director General of Department of Planning and Infrastructure . This letter objected to the fallacies and the lack of acknowledgement of the significance of Griffith House that had been put forward in the Revised Heritage Impact Statement, dated November 2012.
* January 11 2013 File on Griffith House delivered to Quentin Dempster , ABC TV
* late November 2012 The State Significant Development Assessment Report SSD 5029-2011 was available on the Department of Planning and Infrastructure web site. This Report addressed submissions to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure on Griffith House.
An interesting conclusion :
“the provision of the new facilities is appropriate when considering the historical and cultural significance of the item is linked with the association with Peter Herrmann, who was closely linked to the establishment of community facilities within Kogarah , including St George Hospital. The new facilities continue his vision of ensuring the locality is adequately catered for in terms of community facilities “
January 16 2013 Chris Wilson, Executive Director Major Projects Assessment signed off on Emergency Department St George Hospital SSD5020
* January 24 2013 Anne Field wrote to The Hon Robyn Parker , Minister for Environment and Heritage in response to the indifferent letter to her original concerns from Petula Samios , Director of Regional Operations of the Heritage Branch.
* January 25 2013 Anne Field viewed the Master Plan at Customer Service , Kogarah Council Other residents took the opportunity to also view the Plan .
* January 21 2013 Richard Pearson, Deputy Director General Development Assessment and Systems Performance signed off on Emergency Department St George Hospital SSD 5020
* January 29 2013 the “death certificate for Griffith House” was signed by Minister for Planning and Infrastructure , Brad Hazzard.
* February 6 2013 Anne Field wrote to The Hon Brad Hazzard Minister for Planning and Infrastructure in respect of errors in the Revised Heritage Impact Statement . Comments in this letter were also made in respect of other issues in the Assessment Report.
* February 7 2013 Jack Mundey, Green Ban activist from the 1970’s, came to visit Griffith House .
* February 14 2013 Peter Duggan and Anne Field met with Barbara Perry MP Shadow Minister for Heritage at Parliament House to discuss Griffith House . Also discussed at this meeting, was a need for a future publication on heritage which could be used by local communities.
* February 18 2013 Anne Field met with David Shoebridge,( Leader of the Greens) at Parliament House to discuss Griffith House and possible Questions on Notice in the Legislative Council .
February 24 2013 Kogarah Community Farewell to Griffith House . Speeches and poems were read and attendees dressed in black . Comments were recorded by attendees in a book, which is to be given to Kogarah Council’s Local History collection .
* February 27 2013 Questions On Notice asked in Legislative Council by David Shoebridge MLC. Questions 3487 ( answer received March 25 )and 3489( answer received March 13 )
* Demolition of Griffith House
By mid April 2013 the demolition shroud was up around Griffith House.
Anne Field was on her way to the TAB on Saturday morning, April 13 2013 to place a bet on Black Caviar. Anne was furious at sighting this shroud and had a bet on something that” reflected her fury.” Alma’s Fury,in the BMW Doncaster Prelude, caught her attention . It came second . It did not however remove the pain of seeing the demolition shroud around Griffith House.
Griffith House was slowly demolished over a week in early May 2013.
*May 4 2013 meeting of invited Heritage Advocates to discuss an on line heritage document for the community.
* November 10 2013 The document ,which were titled Saving our Community Heritage and Action Plan, were launched by Barbara Perry MP Shadow Minister for Heritage at Linnwood House , Guildford .This document is dedicated to Griffith House and to Peter Herrmann .
View the document on www.annefieldauthor.com.
Journalists Anne Field contacted during the campaign .
Sean Berry Channel 7; Paul Bibby Sydney Morning Herald; Vikki Campion Daily Telegraph; Quentin Dempster ABC TV; Elizabeth Farrelly Sydney Morning Herald ; Jim Gainsford St George Leader ; Maria Galinovic St George Leader ; Nicole Hasham Sydney Morning Herald ; David McCowen St George Leader ;and Leo Shanahan The Australian . The Allan Jones Show was also contacted .
A special thanks to the journalists from the St George Leader, for their extensive and thorough coverage, of the controversial Griffith House matter.
Social media also played a part. Facebook was well used by the local community to spread the word.
SUMMARY
Griffith House was held in high regard by our local community for its historic, aesthetic and social significance. It fitted into a Heritage Precinct –the Fire Station , Victorian corner shops and the School of Arts building.
NBRS and Partners stated that they do not believe that adequate consideration had been given to the potential for adaptive re-use of the building.
The Urbis Report stated that” it would result in a major loss of beds and facilities in ED and 10 car spaces associated with the development.”
NBRS and Partners have checked this and confirm that the site is principally for 8 car parking spaces , provision of a vehicular ramp from the proposed car park to an existing car park within the hospital grounds and a PECC Courtyard. Only a small area of the vacated land would accommodate the proposed Emergency Department . The bulk of the land on demolition of Griffith House would be for housing cars.
The proposed use of the site following the demolition of Griffith House is not commensurate with the loss of such a significant heritage item . Creative architectural design could have retained Griffith House whilst accommodating the Emergency Department on site.
Urbis recommended demolition . NBRS recommended the retention of the building , and provided 4 detailed recommendations in making this statement .
