Ballamac House, one of the first houses ever built in Coogee, has been the subject of much controversy after a developer lodged plans to build a luxury residential development on the site.
Read: Plans to Convert Iconic Ballamac House Into Luxury Residences Lodged
Community organisation Randwick Heritage Action Group is worried about “loss of heritage” once the $10 million development gets the green light.
Located at 39 Arcadia Street, Coogee, Ballamac House will serve as the focal point of the proposed development.
Developer Central Element plans to revive the building to its original glory and keep its original features, such as the external and internal walls, fireplaces, mantle pieces, and decorative ceilings. However, the wraparound verandahs will be reconstructed to allow for indoor and outdoor living.
They also sought the removal of the later additions and construction of two-storey additions to the north and a separate new four-storey apartment building.
The group worries that the later additions will be destroyed and the house’s heritage will be diminished, because of the proposed driveway to a basement car park.
The later additions, as stated in the Statement of Heritage Impact report, were part of the 1904-1911 renovations done by millionaire and entrepreneur Sir James Joynton Smith, one of the notable personalities who previously owned the property.
“The proposed alterations and additions to Ballamac generally comply with the heritage controls outlined in Randwick LEP 2012 and Randwick DCP 2013. The proposal aims to have minimal impact on the significance of the heritage listed Victorian villa or identified Heritage Items in the immediate vicinity of the site,” the report reads.
Aside from protecting Ballamac House, the group also voiced other concerns such as losing views of the house from Dunningham Reserve because of the four-storey building and the removal of up to 15 trees.
About Ballamac House
Established in1860, Ballamac House is a Victorian mansion built for Sir Charles Moore, who became the mayor of Randwick and Sydney.
When Moore resigned from the Sydney City Council and left for Europe in 1869, he offered Ballamac for lease as a family residence for two to three years.
It was later converted into a hotel, the Baden Baden Hotel, and was also referred to as a boarding house.
When Sir Joynton Smith bought the property in 1912, he renamed it ‘Hastings House.’ He lived there until he passed away at 89 years old in 1943.
Read: Coogee Bay Hotel Redevelopment Heads to Court; Developers Asked to Submit Another Amended Plan
A major sale of attached land to the South and West of the building took place in the late ‘70s. The property was strata-titled and divided into five apartments.
