NSW DEPARTMENT OF LANDS LAND & PROPERTY … · Figure 35 – The site of the Land and Property Information Office is legally defined as Lot 1863 of DP 1000001 and Lot 1864 of DP 1000002

NSW DEPARTMENT OF LANDS LAND & PROPERTY INFORMATION DIVISION OFFICE (FORMER REGISTRAR GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT)

1 PRINCE ALBERT ROAD SYDNEY NSW 2000

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

(VOLUME 1)

FINAL REVISED ISSUE AUGUST 2004

NOEL BELL RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS PTY LTD 2 McManus Street, McMahons Point NSW 2060 Telephone 9922 2344 Facsimile 9922 1308

ABN 16 002 247 565

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc i

NSW DEPARTMENT OF LANDS LAND & PROPERTY INFORMATION DIVISION OFFICE (FORMER REGISTRAR GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT)

1 PRINCE ALBERT ROAD, SYDNEY NSW 2000

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN VOLUME 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................ VIII Major Recommendations viii

1.0 SUMMARY DESCRIPTION ........................................................................... 1

2.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 5 2.1 Introduction 5 2.2 The Site 5 2.3 Study Objective 6 2.4 Methodology 6 2.5 Limitations 7 2.6 Authorship 7 2.7 Sources 8 2.8 Acknowledgments 8 2.9 Copyright 9 2.10 Abbreviations 9

3.0 DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE ...................................................................... 24 3.1 Introduction 24 3.2 Historical Context: The Evolution of A Department 25

3.2.1 1788 - 1825: A “Muddled Pre-History” 25 3.2.2 1825 - 1843: Imposing A System 26 3.2.3 1843 - 1850 The First Office of the Registrar General 27 3.2.4 1850 - 1856: The Registry of Deeds Office 27 3.2.5 1856 - 1862: The Second Office of the Registrar General 28 3.2.6 1862 - 1890: Falling Into Disgrace 28 3.2.7 1890 - 1900: Reforms 29 3.2.8 1900 - 1917: New Beginnings, Remaking the Department - Creating A New Office 30 3.2.9 1917 - 1939: Big Plans 36 3.2.10 1939 - 1945: Blackout 37 3.2.11 1945 - 1967: Extensions and Renovations 37 3.2.12 1967 - 1996: Modernisation 39

3.3 Archaeological Assessment 40

4.0 PHYSICAL EVIDENCE ................................................................................ 42 4.1 Generally 42 4.2 Setting and Physical Context 42 4.3 Identification of Existing Fabric 43

4.3.1 External fabric 43 4.3.2 Internal Fabric 49

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc ii

4.3.3 Services 49 4.3.4 Summary and Conclusion 50

5.0 ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE AND ASSESSMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE ....................................................................................................... 51

5.1 Introduction 51 5.2 Analysis of Documentary and Physical Evidence 51

5.2.1 Generally 51 5.2.2 Ability to Demonstrate 52 5.2.3 Comparative Analysis 53

5.3 Basis of Cultural Significance 54 5.3.1 Introduction 54 5.3.2 Evaluation criteria 54 5.3.3 Application of the NSW State Heritage Criteria to the NSW Land Titles Office 55

5.4 Statement of Cultural Heritage Significance 58 5.5 Significant Spaces and Elements 59

5.5.1 Exceptional Significance 59 5.5.2 High Significance 74 5.5.3 Moderate Significance 74 5.5.4 Little Significance 75 5.5.5 Intrusive 76

5.6 Curtilage 76 5.6.1 Lot Boundary Curtilage 76 5.6.2 Reduced Heritage Curtilage 77 5.6.3 Expanded Heritage Curtilage 77 5.6.4 Composite Heritage Curtilage 79

6.0 DEVELOPMENT OF CONSERVATION POLICY ........................................ 80 6.1 Introduction 80 6.2 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from the Statement of

Significance 80 6.3 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from the Owners Requirements81

6.3.1 Services 81 6.4 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from the Physical Condition of the

Building 82 6.4.1 External Fabric 82 6.4.2 Internal Fabric 82 6.4.3 The Setting 83

6.5 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from Statutory Heritage Requirements 83 6.5.1 Commonwealth Government Requirements 83 6.5.2 New South Wales Government Requirements 84 6.5.3 Local Government Requirements 85

6.6 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from Non-Statutory Listings 85 6.7 Other Statutory Requirements 86

7.0 CONSERVATION POLICY AND GUIDELINES ........................................... 87 7.1 Introduction 87 7.2 Policy Recommendations 88

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc iii

7.2.1 Basis of Approach 89 7.2.2 Conservation Advice 90 7.2.3 Future Use of the Building 92 7.2.4 Maintenance and repair 93 7.2.5 Removal of significant fabric 94 7.2.6 Exterior of the building 95 7.2.7 Intrusive elements 95 7.2.8 Roof 96 7.2.9 Stonework 97 7.2.10 External Metalwork 98 7.2.11 Fire Safety And Fire Protection 100 7.2.12 Windows and doors 102 7.2.13 Interior of the building 103 7.2.14 Setting 106

8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION ...................... 107 8.1 Introduction 107 8.2 General Guidelines for Care, Use and Management of the building.107 8.3 Recommendations for Specific Conservation Works 109

8.3.1 Exterior of the Building 109 8.3.2 Interior of the Building 110 8.3.3 Setting 111

9.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................ 112 9.1 Books, Reports, Monographs 112 9.2 News and Journal Articles 112 9.3 Maps and Plans 113 9.4 Graphics 113 9.5 Internet Sources 113

APPENDICES CONTAINED IN VOLUME 2

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc iv

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 – The western entrance to the former New South Wales Land Titles Office

(now known as the Land and Property Information Office), c1912. (Source:

MLSLNSW) ......................................................................................................... 4

Figure 2 – Location plan of Land and Property Information Office Queens Square. . 10

Figure 3 - Floor plan showing the Basement Two (B2) layout and space numbers of the

Land Property Office Queens Square Building. ................................................. 11

Figure 4 - Floor plan showing Basement One (B1) layout and space numbers of the

Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building. ....................... 12

Figure 5 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Ground Floor of the Land

and Property Information Office Queens Square Building. ................................ 13

Figure 6 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the First Floor of the Land


Figure 7 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of Second Floor of the Land


Figure 8 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of Floor Level 2A of the Land


Figure 9 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Third Floor of the Land


Figure 10 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Fourth Floor of the Land


Figure 11 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Fifth Floor of the Land

and Property Information Office Queen Square Building. .................................. 19

Figure 12 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Sixth Floor of the Land


CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc v

Figure 13 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of Floor Level 6A (Sub Lift

Motor Room) of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square

Building. ............................................................................................................ 21

Figure 14 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Seventh Floor of the

Land and Property Information Office Queen Square Building. ......................... 22

Figure 15 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Eighth Floor of the Land

and Property Information Office Queen Square Building. .................................. 23

Figure 16 - The Registry Office for Lands, Titles and Deeds in Elizabeth Street Sydney,

c1890. (Source: MLSLNSW) ............................................................................ 31

Figure 17 - Proposed south elevation of the Registrar General's Department, dated

March 1908, showing the scheme designed entirely of sandstone. (Source: NSW

DPW&S) ........................................................................................................... 33

Figure 18 - The Registrar General's Office c1912 showing the south facade from Prince

Albert Road. (Source: MLSLNSW) ................................................................... 35

Figure 19 - The northern wing under construction, c1954. (Source: Land Titles Office

Collection)......................................................................................................... 38

Figure 20 - The view looking north along College Street terminates with the Land and

Property Information Office. .............................................................................. 44

Figure 21 - Looking northeast from Hyde Park to the Land and Property Information

Office. ............................................................................................................... 45

Figure 22 - Looking southwest along Hospital Road from the Domain towards the Land

and Property Information Office. ....................................................................... 46

Figure 23 - Typical dressed openings at street level and scrolled wrought steel grilles.

......................................................................................................................... 46

Figure 24 - Detail of the decorative bronze air grilles with Art Nouveau 'Tulip' motif. 47

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc vi

Figure 25 – Plan of Basement B2 showing the relative levels of heritage significance of

spaces within the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office. ............ 60

Figure 26 – Plan of Basement B1, showing the relative levels of heritage significance of

spaces within the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens

Square. ............................................................................................................. 61

Figure 27 – Plan of the ground floor layout showing the relative levels of heritage

significance of spaces within the NSW Land and Property Information Division

Office, Queens Square. .................................................................................... 62

Figure 28 - Plan of the 3rd floor level of the NSW Land and Property Information

Division Office, Queens Square, showing the relative levels of heritage

significance of spaces within the building. ......................................................... 66

Figure 29 - Plan of the 4th floor level of the NSW Land and Property Information









Figure 32 - Plan of Level 6A of the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office,

Queens Square, showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces

within the building. ............................................................................................ 70

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc vii







Figure 35 – The site of the Land and Property Information Office is legally defined as

Lot 1863 of DP 1000001 and Lot 1864 of DP 1000002. The building is located

within Lot 1863, while Lot 1864 of DP 1000002 forms part of the setting of the

Land Property Office of New South Wales, but is maintained by the staff of the

Royal Sydney Botanic Gardens. ....................................................................... 78

Figure 36 – .............................................................................................................. 79

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc viii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This conservation plan of management establishes the cultural heritage significance of the Land and Property Information Office Queen Square Building and the relative levels of significance of individual spaces, components and fabric. This is based on an analysis of documentary evidence of the buildings ongoing and subsequent alterations and additions as well as examinations of the physical fabric.

Based on the statement of significance for the place, the importance of a procedure for retaining fabric and other aspects identified as having cultural heritage value are established together with appropriate constraints and opportunities for the future management of the building.

The Land and Property Information Division Office has cultural heritage significance covering social, historical and aesthetic values ranging in degree from the National to the Local level. The major aspects of its significance include its high cultural value as a landmark building, occupying an important position among a group of highly significant structures within the Queen Square precinct, which is of primary importance to the City of Sydney.

The original building is of considerable architectural quality as being a fine example of Federation ‘Tudor’ Gothic architecture and for the records wing, which is a prime example of The Sydney School of design. The quality of the main building is based on its design, materials and the workmanship of the external fabric in the carved masonry and in the wrought metal work. Whilst the Records Building relies on proportion and well designed detailing for effect.

More generally the Land and Property Information Office has important historic associations for the community as a purpose built Government department building which houses an important group of significant documents.

Major Recommendations Major recommendations of this Conservation Management Plan include:

• Establishment of procedures for undertaking conservation and maintenance work on the fabric.

• Preparation of detailed measured drawings of the building as it now exists for

use in Asset Management Planning. • Detailed schedule and condition report of carved stone elements. • Detailed code of practice for repair of stonework. • Detailed record of wrought metalwork. • Detailed code of practice for the maintenance and repair of metalwork. • Creation of a building archive and interpretive strategy. • Commissioning of a Detailed Fire Safety Strategy. • Commissioning of a BCA non-compliance report.

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc ix

• Asset management study and preparation of a planned maintenance repair

programme and a list of suitable trades person to carry out specialised work. • Recommendations to improve the setting of the place.

NOEL BELL RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS PTY LIMITED

Robert Staas Director/Heritage Consultant

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY FINAL REVISED ISSUE - AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc 1

1.0 SUMMARY DESCRIPTION Name The Land and Property Information Office of NSW,

Sydney, formerly known as the Department of Lands, the Land Titles Office; The Registrar General’s Department

Address 1 Prince Albert Road, Sydney NSW 2000 (also given as Queens Square Sydney NSW 2000)

Land Title Lot 1863 in Deposited Plan 1000001 and Lot 1864 in Deposited Plan 1000002. Parish of St James, County of Cumberland.

Present Owner NSW Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources

Present Occupier Land and Property Information Division of the NSW Department of Lands

Local Government Area

Sydney City Council

Construction Dates Original building constructed in c1912-1913; Major additions (The Records Wing) constructed in c1962

Architect NSW Government Architect under the direction of Walter Liberty Vernon – 1913: NSW Government Architect under the direction of EH Farmer – 1962

Builder Loveridge and Hudson – 1913

Heritage Status Register of the National Estate Register of the National Estate, Item No. 001845 also registered as part of the College Street Group. NSW State Heritage Register The building is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register, Database No. 5045050. It is protected under the Heritage Act 1977. NSW Land and Water Conservation Section 170 Register Item No. LTO 9000001 Council of the City of Sydney LEP Schedule 1 Item No. 4075. Also listed in Schedule 3 as being included in the Queens Square Precinct. Any work carried out on the building will be affected by the provision of the Sydney City Council Heritage LEP.


National Trust of Australia NSW Classified individually and as part of the College Street Group. Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) 20th Century buildings of significance Register - both buildings.

Summary Description A three storey plus attic and basement, Federation ‘Tudor’ Gothic Revival styled building with load bearing masonry external walls of Sydney yellow block sandstone and having reinforced concrete and steel internal fire resistant construction. Built in several construction phases between 1903-1956 and including a large adjoining multi storey reinforced concrete framed building clad with clinker brickwork of the ‘Sydney School’ of design, built in 1962.

Summary Statement of Cultural Significance

The Land and Property Information Office is significant as a major Sydney landmark of considerable architectural quality occupying a pivotal position in a group of highly significant heritage structures in Sydney’s Queen Square Precinct. The significance of the Land and Property Information Office lies in the quality of the building fabric and its visual relationship with St Mary’s Cathedral, St James Church and Hyde Park Barracks and in the historical and scientific association of its continued use as the repository of New South Wales land title information and Registrar Generals Department. The 1962 extension, known as the Land Records Building is an important 20th Century building in its own right. The building is a representative of the Sydney school architectural style, and is a rare example of the style applied to a multi-storey building office building. Both the original building and the 1962 wing represent the continuing presence of the State government within the precinct, and contribute to the historic value of the surrounding precinct. The quality of the buildings are based on their design, materials and workmanship of the external building fabric from all periods of their construction, in the carved masonry, slate roofing, joinery and wrought metalwork, and early to mid 20th century detailing, which are of a very high order. The original building has major Architectural and streetscape values as an example of Federation ‘Tudor’ Gothic Revival architecture and forms an important focal element in a major historic landscape


which is of primary importance to the City of Sydney. The original building has major associational values with significant Government officials from both the Registrar General’s Department and the Public Works Office of NSW and is one of the major buildings constructed by the prominent Sydney builders, Loveridge and Hudson. The original building is one of the major architectural works of Walter Liberty Vernon, NSWs first Government Architect (the position formerly known as the Colonial Architect) and the extensions are representative of the government works of Cobden Parks, NSW Government architect, and of Peter Hall, of the Public Works Department. The original building has major associational levels of significance related to Social and Historic values in regard to the development and recording of land dealings and births, deaths and marriages records for the state of NSW. The original building incorporates exceptional technological innovations relating to the provision of air distribution and circulation.


Figure 1 – The western entrance to the former New South Wales Land Titles Office (now known as the Land and Property Information Office), c1912. (Source: MLSLNSW)


2.0 INTRODUCTION

2.1 Introduction The NSW Department of Lands and Water Conservation commissioned the original Conservation Management Plan in December 1995, to guide future works and maintenance to the Building and its setting so that the significance of the former Registrar General’s Building is protected and enhance. The original New South Wales Lands Titles Office (former Registrar General’s Department) Conservation Management Plan was prepared by Noel Bell Ridley Smith & Partners, its primary objectives being: • Establish the Cultural Heritage Significance of the Land and Property

Information Office • Formulate appropriate policies for the conservation and ongoing management

of the buildings and their setting taking into account both the significant physical fabric and ongoing usage of the place.

• Provide guidelines and strategies for continued management of the place. • Recommend further studies and reports particularly in relation to fire services,

stonework maintenance and internal upgrading of facilities. These revisions to the Conservation Management Plan were commissioned by the NSW Department of Lands in April 2004, and are in keeping with Policy 1.9 of the original Report, which recommended that it be reviewed periodically or as the need arose. This revised Conservation Management Plan was prepared by Noel Bell Ridley Smith & Partners. While the objectives remain the same as those of the original report, the following specific issues were addressed in this new report: • The re-naming of the building and the Department. • The documentary evidence (Section 3.0) has been retained, but the endnotes

have been re-organised as footnotes, and the bibliography moved to Section 9.0.

• The physical evidence (Section 4.0) was reviewed in keeping with recent changes to the original fabric

• The assessment of Cultural Heritage Significance (Section 5.0) has been re-written to suit the criteria for listing on the State Heritage Register, as published by the NSW Heritage Office.

• Clarification of the curtilage associated with the New South Wales Land and Property Information Office (former Registrar General’s Department)

• Revisions to the Conservation Policy (Section 6.0) • General amendments to the setting-out, and re-numbering of the report, in

keeping with the recommendations of the NSW heritage Office.

2.2 The Site The subject site includes the whole of the Land and Property Information Office and the attached Land Records Building together with the immediate setting of the buildings within the context of the surrounding historic precinct. A diagram showing the buildings and their site is given in Figure 2. The Land and Property Information Office Queen Square consists of two buildings, the Land Titles Office, built in two major stages and the Records Building. The Land


Titles Office has four distinct sections and in this report these are given the names of the relevant wings, being the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Wings. A key to the nomenclature is contained in the table below. In the context of this report, ‘Land Titles Office’ refers to the entire structure, unless otherwise specified.

The floor levels across the Land Titles Office Building consists of: Basement 1 Ground Floor 1st Floor (North Wing only) 2nd Floor 3rd Floor 5th Floor (Mansard additions) Roof Level

The floor levels across the Records Building consists of: Basement 2 Basement 1 Ground Floor 1st Floor 2nd Floor 3rd Floor 4th Floor 5th Floor 6th Floor (roof levels) 7th Floor (plant room)

Figures 3 to 15 show the plan of each level and the space numbers referred to throughout this report. Note: Individual area assessments are contained in Appendix 9.12 (Volume 2).

2.3 Study Objective This Conservation Management Plan is intended to be a practical working document to guide future action to the building currently known as the Department of Lands and its setting. The assessment includes: • Documentary Evidence; a review of historical and archival material relating to

the site and the preparation of a brief historical account of the building’s development and associated significant people and events;

• Physical Evidence; an investigation of the existing physical fabric to determine

the extent and condition of original elements and the nature of subsequent alterations;

• An analysis of the documentary and physical evidence to establish the nature

and degree of significance of the site and individual components, this being summarised in a Statement of Significance, Conservation Policies and Implementation Recommendations based on recognised conservation principles and related to the identified levels of significance.

2.4 Methodology This report generally follows the format set out in the document entitled The Conservation Management Plan by Dr James Semple Kerr (5th Edition, 2000). The terms fabric, place, preservation, reconstruction, restoration, adaptation and conservation used throughout this report have the meaning given them in the Australia ICOMOS Charter for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (Burra Charter), as follows:


Place means site, area, building or other work, group of buildings or other works together with associated contents and surrounds. Cultural significance means aesthetic, historic, scientific or social value for past, present or future generations. Fabric means all the physical material of the place. Conservation means all the processes of looking after a place so as to retain its cultural significance. It includes maintenance and may according to circumstance include preservation, restoration, reconstruction and adaptation and will be commonly a combination of more than one of these. Maintenance means the continuous protective care of the fabric, contents and setting of a place, and is to be distinguished from repair. Repair involves restoration or reconstruction and it should be treated accordingly. Preservation means maintaining the fabric of a place in its existing state and retarding deterioration. Restoration means returning the existing fabric of a place to a known earlier state by removing accretions or by reassembling existing components without the introduction of new material. Reconstruction means returning a place as nearly as possible to a known earlier state and is distinguished by the introduction of materials (new or old) into the fabric. This is not to be confused with either re-creation or conjectural reconstruction which are outside the scope of the Charter. Adaptation means modifying a place to suit proposed compatible uses. Compatible use means a use which involves no change to the culturally significant fabric, changes which are substantially reversible, or changes which create a minimal impact.

2.5 Limitations Both the original Conservation Management Plan and this revised report are limited to an assessment of the building and it’s setting. Moveable heritage, including loose furniture and equipment, binding presses, seals, etc. are not considered within this report. Inspections were carried out without any physical intervention in the place, and while the building was occupied and operational.

2.6 Authorship The original study was carried out by Noel Bell Ridley Smith & Partners Architects under the direction of Robert Staas, Heritage Consultant - surveying and assessment was carried out by Susan O’Neill, Heritage Architect, and Documentary evidence and archaeological assessment was researched and written by Wendy Thorp, Heritage


Consultant. Assistance was provided by the staff of the Land Titles Office and in particular, Michael Vukelic and Robert Wood. The original study was managed by a reference panel consisting of:

• Mr Michael Vukelic Manager Building Services Branch Land Titles Office • Mr Bruce Edgar from the Heritage Conservation Branch of the Department of

Urban Affairs and Planning. • Mr Peter Romey Heritage Planner Council of the City of Sydney • Ms Katherine Brooks Heritage Trust of Australia (NSW) • Ms Anne Warr NSW Manager Heritage Group State Projects NSW Public

Works & Services Revisions to the original report were carried out by Noel Bell Ridley Smith & Partners in May and June 2004, under the direction of Robert Staas.

2.7 Sources The main documentary sources consulted in the research for this report are listed below. A complete Bibliography is contained in Section 9.0 of this report. Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

• Maps • Catalogue • On-line catalogue

Government Architects Branch, NSW Department of Commerce

• Plan Room Department of Lands, Land and Property Information Office

• Files and Records

2.8 Acknowledgments The original study was carried out by Noel Bell Ridley Smith & Partners Architects under the direction of Robert Staas Heritage Consultant - surveying and assessment was carried out by Susan O’Neill, Heritage Architect, and Documentary evidence and archaeological assessment was researched and presented by Wendy Thorp Heritage Consultant. The original study was managed by a reference panel consisting of:

• Mr Michael Vukelic Manager Building Services Branch Land Titles Office. • Mr Bruce Edgar from the Heritage Conservation Branch of the Department of

Urban Affairs and Planning. • Mr Peter Romey Heritage Planner Council of the City of Sydney. • Ms Katherine Brooks Heritage Trust of Australia (NSW). • Ms Anne Warr NSW Manager Heritage Group State Projects NSW Public

Works & Services. The Authors of the original report gratefully acknowledge the assistance provided by the staff of the Land Titles Office and in particular:

• Michael Vukelic • Robert Wood.


The following people provided assistance and advice to Noel Bell Ridley Smith & Partners in preparing this revised Conservation Management Plan in 2004:

• Mr Gary Hay, Manager Queens Square Facilities, Facilities Management Unit, Administrative Services, Department of Lands Queens Square

• Mr Peter Farthing, Manager Asset Planning & Performance, Administrative Services, Facilities Management, Department of Lands Queens Square

• Mr Peter Taviani, Building Supervisor, Department of Lands Queens Square • Ms Wendy Thorp, Heritage Consultant, Cultural Resources Management

2.9 Copyright This report is copyright to of Noel Bell Ridley Smith & Partners Architects Pty Limited and was prepared specifically for the owners of the site. It shall not be used for any other purpose and shall not be transmitted in any form without the written permission of the authors.

2.10 Abbreviations The following abbreviations are found throughout this report: ALS Aluminium sash AOW Altered original window DCP Development Control Plan DP Downpipe FW Frameless window LW Louvred window LEP Local Environmental Plan LPINSW Land and Property Information of New South Wales ML Mitchell Library NTS Not to scale OD Original door OLGV Original louvred gable vent ORI Original ripple iron OW Original window OWF Original window frame PBW Painted brick wall PBP Plasterboard partition PSW Painted stud wall PWD Public Works Department of NSW RBW Rendered brick wall RWH Rainwater head SG Steel girder SLNSW State Library of New South Wales SMH Sydney Morning Herald


Figure 2 – Location plan of Land and Property Information Office Queens Square.


Figure 3 - Floor plan showing the Basement Two (B2) layout and space numbers of the Land and Property Office, Queens Square Building.


Figure 4 - Floor plan showing Basement One (B1) layout and space numbers of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building.


Figure 5 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Ground Floor of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building.


Figure 6 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the First Floor of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building.


Figure 7 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of Second Floor of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building.


Figure 8 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of Floor Level 2A of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building.


Figure 9 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Third Floor of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building.


Figure 10 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Fourth Floor of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building.


Figure 11 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Fifth Floor of the Land and Property Information Office Queen Square Building.


Figure 12 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Sixth Floor of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building.


Figure 13 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of Floor Level 6A (Sub Lift Motor Room) of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square Building.


Figure 14 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Seventh Floor of the Land and Property Information Office Queen Square Building.


Figure 15 - Plan showing the layout and space numbers of the Eighth Floor of the Land and Property Information Office Queen Square Building.


3.0 DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE

3.1 Introduction The purpose of this analysis is to provide an historical context that explains how the buildings that comprise the Land Titles Office of NSW came to be on the site, for what purpose and how they fit into the general development of their environment and departmental history. This context is derived from historical or archival sources that include maps, plans, photographs, parliamentary enquiries and records of the Department of Public Works. A full bibliography of these works is presented at the end of this report. Of particular importance, reference should be made to the recently published history of the office (“From Parchments to Passwords A History of the Land Titles Office of New South Wales”, Crundwell, Golder and Wood, 1995) which has provided an invaluable departmental and administrative context for this analysis which is primarily concerned with the evolution of the buildings that now house the Land Titles Office. The Land Titles Office has had a long and important place in the development of both the colonial and later State bureaucracy as well as being of fundamental importance to the development of the state. Commencing in 1788 various systems and reforms have been implemented to try and document the increasingly complicated system of grant and purchase. Often numerous transactions were made with little or no record which created an administrative and legal nightmare later in the nineteenth century and lasting, in many cases, well into the twentieth century. In addition to the burdensome task of recording land alienation and ownership the office of the Registrar General, essentially through default, became the repository for records relating to Births, Deaths and Marriages as well as a plethora of transactions relating to greatly diverse interests that included Acts of Parliament, companies and trade marks. In some instances these duties were not to be divested until the later years of the twentieth century. With the escalation of duties and the large amount of records relating to those responsibilities, almost immediately, complaints were made of the ad hoc arrangements made for housing both the staff and records of the department. A purpose-designed building was opened in 1860 but within a relatively short period of time this also was found to be inadequate to the task. Despite renting additional rooms the situation was at a critical point by the 1890s. The current building and its extensions were the answer to that and subsequent problems of accommodation. The following sections establish the principal periods of development of this specific site set in the context of departmental history and the place of the building in its immediate environment. The sections are described as follows: Setting the Context: The Evolution of the Department

1788 - 1825: A “Muddled Pre-History” 1825 - 1843: Imposing A System 1843 - 1850: The First Office of the Registrar General


1850 - 1856: The Registry of Deeds Office 1856 - 1862: The Second Office of the Registrar General 1862 - 1890: Falling into Disgrace 1890 - 1900: Reforms

New Beginnings

1900 - 1917: Reforming the Department - Creating a New Office 1917 - 1939: Big Plans 1939 - 1945: Blackout 1945 - 1967: Extensions and Renovations 1967 - 1996: Modernisation

3.2 Historical Context: The Evolution of A Department The evolution of the Land Titles Office spans the full period of European settlement in Australia. It is a complex history that encompasses several major changes in structure, numerous Acts of Parliament and significant changes in operation. An overview of the departmental history is vital in appreciating the role of the building at Chancery Square. Its construction was in direct response to the growth and pressures experienced by that department during the later years of the nineteenth century which, in themselves, had been outcomes of the changing system of land tiles during the earlier part of that century. Understanding the role of the Land Titles Office in the development and administration of the state is also crucial to determining the significance of the building. The latter, as well as the earlier structure used for this purpose in Elizabeth Street, embody and represent the Land Titles Office, a department which had an immense impact on the state and its citizens. In this section the context of that nineteenth century development is presented in several key periods (1). 3.2.1 1788 - 1825: A “Muddled Pre-History” After claiming the entire eastern portion of the new colony in the name of the British Crown, Governor Phillip was empowered to make grants of this huge tract to ex-convicts, ex-members of the marines and free migrants. From the beginning, however, he was hampered in this process through lack of a dedicated position and bureaucracy; even the official seal did not arrive until 1791. Responsibility for recording and making returns of grants was first given to David Collins who also filled the positions of Judge Advocate and the Governor’s Secretary. The long term association of the Land Titles Office with the Department of the Attorney General and Justice derives from this position. At first a manageable exercise, because of the relatively low number of grants, the process was almost immediately complicated by the often unrecorded sale of land between private parties and grants made to members of the NSW Corps prior to their retirement. An orderly system of selection, survey, grant and registration was sabotaged by these events. By the beginning of the nineteenth

1 The information for this section has generally been compiled from “From Parchments to Passwords A History of the Land Titles Office of New South Wales” (Crundwell, Golder and Wood., 1995) unless otherwise noted in the text as additional footnotes.


century large tracts of land had been granted and changed hands several times often with little or no record of ownership and sale. The court was overloaded with land disputes. The first formal registration of titles, four books kept at each of the principal settlements, was established in 1800. In 1802 the system was amplified with responsibility for recording and centralising made to the separate positions of Judge Advocate and Governor’s Secretary. An Old Register was established but, as registration was not compulsory, the system was only marginally improved by this step. The first important reform was made, by Governor Macquarie, in 1817 when a system of memorials was introduced; land transactions not encompassed by this system were considered to be fraudulent and void. The system was not foolproof but it did make a considerable improvement on the earlier arrangements. The rapid expansion of the colony sabotaged much of the good of this reform; many thousands of acres were actually settled prior to formal grant and registration and passed hands several times before that grant, then no longer valid according to the occupier of the ground, came into being. 3.2.2 1825 - 1843: Imposing A System In 1824 the Old Register was closed subsequent to a reorganisation of the colonial bureaucracy. Following a short hiatus a Deeds Registration Act was passed in 1825, which made the Supreme Court responsible for all transactions relating to land and its registration. It was a significant improvement on Macquarie’s reforms in no small part due to the principal that the registered deed superseded all previous documentation. The first Registrar was appointed under this new system. However, almost immediately, the arrangement became more complicated by the newly added responsibility to record all laws passed in the colony as well as baptisms, marriages and burials. These additional duties to that of recording land transactions were to remain the responsibility of this department until well into the later years of the twentieth century. Ever more paperwork and duties were required of the office when, from 1831, changes were made to the methods of disposing of Crown Land. An elaborate system evolved which entailed transactions passing through the offices of the Colonial Secretary, Surveyor General and Treasury as well as the Supreme Court Registry. Coinciding with a land boom during the 1830s the system was in danger of collapse as transactions and demands for copies of existing grants outstripped the capabilities of these offices. By the early 1840s the Registrar admitted that his staff could not keep up with the demands placed upon them; indexing of records, for example, had ceased due to lack of time. The failings of the system were exacerbated by the space made available for the Registry. Two small rooms in the Supreme Court building (on Elizabeth Street) were incapable of holding staff, records and members of the public and they were vulnerable to fire, damp, theft and other accidents. A new Deeds Registration Act of 1842 further increased the documentation to be housed and managed by the Registry and although the


same Act created a separate registry at Port Phillip. A better solution to the ever-increasing problem was required, in fact, a separate office from the Supreme Court. 3.2.3 1843 - 1850 The First Office of the Registrar General The Deeds Registration Act of 1843 modernised the system of deeds registration making of it a full record of all transactions although the process remained a voluntary one. In addition, the Act legislated for the creation of an Office of the Registrar General for New South Wales excluding Port Phillip. The first officer to fill that position was appointed in 1844. As well, money was voted to establish a separate deeds registry. The new Registry, staffed by the Registrar General two clerks and a messenger, was established in rooms in Macquarie Street that had been previously used by the Surveyor General. These premises leaked, smoked and were insecure. The building was not the only insecure aspect of the department. At first refused any funds by the Parliament the situation deteriorated during the later part of the 1840s. Despite carrying out some much needed reforms, including creating the easily accessible Vendors’ Index and sorting and sending over thirteen thousand records to Port Phillip, the powers and responsibilities of the office were transferred back to the Supreme Court in 1850. 3.2.4 1850 - 1856: The Registry of Deeds Office The Court was not pleased with the removal of the registry back to its orbit. Taxed with their own large case-load the new Registry of Deeds Office, which had moved back to the Court building, became the responsibility of the Chief Clerk of the Court. With the commencement of the gold rushes during the 1850s the Office was taxed to the limits. Not only responsible for registering numerous transactions directly related to the land associated with gold claims, as well as urban development which boomed because of the influx of migrants, the Registry also had to maintain its traditional role of recording births, deaths and marriages as well as details of numerous company partnerships and the Acts of Parliament passed in these years. More staff had to be taken on to cope with the clerical work but there was a constant struggle to retain their positions with opposition from cost cutting elements of the Colonial Secretary’s department. By the mid 1850s land reform and the processes of administering land in the colony had become an important political issue. Positive steps forward came from the unlikely direction of the marriage arrangements of the colony. Complex and tangled until that time, Parliament approved an Act which required that all marriages be registered with the “Registrar General of Marriages”. This Marriage Act was followed by a Registration Act which created a general and secular centralised registry for all births, deaths and marriages. The new Registrar General was appointed in 1856. By this time the records and staff of the department were scattered around the city.


3.2.5 1856 - 1862: The Second Office of the Registrar General Although when first opened not responsible for registering deeds quite quickly the new office became responsible for land transactions. In 1857 the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages was established in offices in Castlereagh Street, a series of five buildings known as Blacks Buildings for which a rental was paid of approximately 800 pounds per annum (2). In the following year the Department also acquired a statistical branch; from this was issued the Statistical Register of NSW which replaced the earlier Blue Books of the Colony. The responsibilities of the department and the ongoing problems of the several rooms it now occupied were finally solved in 1860 when a purpose-designed office, by the Colonial Architect Alexander Dawson, was opened in Elizabeth Street. It had taken a Select Committee recommendation for the work to take place. For the first time the building had a fire proof storage area for records. This building housed the Deeds Branch (3). The Births, Deaths and Marriages branch remained in Castlereagh Street. The later part of the 1850s was given over to simplifying land transactions. The Titles to Land Act passed in 1858 was designed to cure some long-standing irregularities in questions of land tenure and title and streamline subdivision of land. This was an issue of some importance in a period of rising land values and demand for, particularly, urban blocks. The matter of conveyancing was a particularly pressing concern. The system as it then stood was difficult to search and open to uncertainty with respect to the final result. From 1856 onwards various committees discussed several reform options. The Registrar General favoured the system pioneered in South Australia by Torrens. By 1862 NSW was the only state that had not adopted the system. It did so at the beginning of 1863 after the passing of the 1862 Real Property Act. Under this system, registration created title to the property. When the property was sold the title was cancelled and the new owner acquired a new certificate of title. Those who had acquired land prior to the Torrens system applied to bring their property under that system by making a primary application and presenting all the existing documentation; at this time all conflicting interests and uncertainties about the property were resolved prior to it being issued with a new certificate. 3.2.6 1862 - 1890: Falling Into Disgrace The new system required an expansion of staff, particularly a drafting branch, as the submission of plans with a primary application became a standard practice. Reference maps became a significant part of the new Land Titles Office as applications and certificates were charted and the charts provided an index to the registration system. The office also assumed new responsibilities including becoming the Registry of Trade Marks in 1865 and in the following year the repository for the Registration of Brands, that is, the distinctive marks applied to cattle to identify specific herds and owners. This increasingly large and onerous task was not passed to the Chief Inspector of Stock until 1874. To ease the almost crippling shortage of space in the offices additions were made to it between 1875 and 1886 by the Colonial Architect James Barnet.

2 Evidence of Parliamentary Standing Committee 1908., 6 3 Ibid.


By the 1870s there was considerable and growing dissatisfaction with the department that was in part due to its inability to keep up with the demands placed upon it by the new Torrens system. A Royal Commission was initiated in 1879 to look into the problem. The investigation found that the department operated in an aura of “unpleasantness” and inefficiency; corruption was hinted at in the final report. Recommendations were made to restructure the branch although some of the more important reforms were not initiated and the department continued to operate under a cloud. In 1886 a Government Statisticians department was appointed after criticism of this function of the office. Despite the changes and the criticism by the later 1880s the office was responsible for a vast amount of transactions as Sydney again entered another land boom. At its core was the Land Titles Office, which registered and administered dealings with property. The Registrar General’s section was responsible for all other transactions that did not relate to land including births, deaths, marriages, trademarks, acts and company articles. A series of scandals opened the department to an investigation that revealed discrepancies and laxities in several areas, particularly accounting, as well as a greatly demoralised staff. Criticism of the slowness of the Torrens system mounted and many developers chose to use the Old System for this reason. Allegations again surfaced of corruption. After a series of public court cases, at which time the workings of the department were severely criticised, the Registrar General was asked for his resignation by Sir Henry Parkes in 1890. 3.2.7 1890 - 1900: Reforms The new Registrar General was a former Treasury official; he managed the office during a period of severe economic recession and further disclosures of corruption during the first half of the 1890s. By 1893 the department was considered a model of financial respectability. Problems of staff shortages and insufficient space for records and people were not solved so readily. From the time it was constructed the building in Elizabeth Street (Figure 16) housing the Deeds Branch required ever increasing sums to maintain the fabric. By 1893 this amounted to over five hundred pounds (1). A new building was required but this solution could not be considered as the country slipped into severe recession. By the mid 1890s the branch also was experiencing recession as the number of applications and transfers declined due to the stagnant economy. Further scandals led to the appointment of a second Royal Commission to enquire into the workings of the Department. This, along with major reforms in the Public Service led, in 1896, to the restructuring of the department whereby all branches were placed under one head. The changes did little to improve the factionalism, high turnover of staff and demoralisation that was endemic. At the same time new responsibilities and duties were placed on the department. By 1898 resources were stretched to the maximum and there was increasing unrest within and without the department. The public collapse of credibility for the department enabled the newly appointed Registrar in 1898 to gain more staff and space. As well, his


reorganisation of appointments, responsibilities and loyalties within the department, eased the unhealthy atmosphere of working there. Changes were made to the Torrens system to facilitate conversion of Old Title to new including simplifying the system of examination within the department. However, despite intensive lobbying through the later years of the 1890s the issue of space for both records and staff remained a constant and nagging problem. It was not to be solved until there was an upturn in both the Australian economy and the working of the department. 3.2.8 1900 - 1917: New Beginnings, Remaking the Department - Creating

A New Office By the early years of the twentieth century great progress had been made in converting property to the Torrens system. The Land Titles Office, a term used to encompass several branches including Search and Survey, was the largest section of the Registrar General’s Department. At Federation some former responsibilities, such as the Registration of Patents, was given over to Commonwealth bodies but the federalisation of land titles was strongly resisted by both the Department and those who used it. Over the first decade of the new century business related to land doubled. In response the staff of the department greatly increased; by 1913, 2143 staff were employed there. The Registrar General, Williams, not only re-organised the department in these early years of the new century he was also responsible for the move to a new building that could adequately house the huge staff numbers and vast store of records. By 1900 it had been estimated that the old office housed over 98 million pounds worth of documents in conditions that could not guarantee their safety and longevity (4). Shortages of space required the department to rent additional rooms as well as continuing to lease those already occupied in Blacks Buildings in Castlereagh Street. As well the costs of maintaining the building in Elizabeth Street continued to rise; in 1900-1901 this amounted to over six hundred pounds (5). The preferred site for the new building, behind the Hyde Park Barracks and adjacent to St Marys Cathedral, had been selected by the Registrar General during the last years of the 1890s. At that time this land was partially occupied by the nineteenth century offices of the Colonial Architect, which backed onto the Barracks, and a path that led to those offices over the future site of the main portion of the later building. A timber yard associated with the Colonial Architect’s office was also located partially on the block. Prior to these uses, the land had been occupied as a convict garden associated with Hyde Park Barracks and, during the 1830s, it had been considered as a possible location for a library (6). The land was reserved by the end of the nineteenth century in an overall proposal to create a legal precinct in this portion of the city. Eventually the new building for the Registrar General was one of the few aspects of this plan that did proceed; demolition of the Mint and Hyde Park

4 Quoted in Crundwell, Golder and Wood., From Parchments to Passwords., 75. 5 Public Works Department NSW., Annual Report Government Architect 1900-1901 6 Design for Allotments in Hyde Park 1831., AONSW AO Map 5450


Barracks to make way for law courts were only a few of the sweeping changes planned for the precinct that ultimately were not proceeded with (7). The plans for the new building, which was to act as an intermediate stage or the core of a much greater building to be constructed in the future for the department, were prepared in 1903 by the Government Architect’s Office of the Department of Public Works under the supervision of Walter Liberty Vernon (8). The building was designed from the outset with the intention that it would have additional wings added to it. Constructed in plain brick it was said to have no windows of any importance on the southern side with the intention that this facade would eventually be built over with the future extensions (9). It was described by Vernon in 1908 as a “barracks”.

Figure 16 - The Registry Office for Lands, Titles and Deeds in Elizabeth Street Sydney, c1890. (Source: MLSLNSW)

7 Discussed in Crundwell, Golder and Wood, Loc Cit. 8 PWD Archives Plans 1903. 9 Evidence of the Parliamentary Standing Committee 1908., 388


The builders for the new office were Loveridge and Hudson (10) and by the end of 1904 over 440 pounds had been spent on the project (11). Additional plans for the ground floor as well as several details were prepared in this year (12). By mid 1905 the Government Architect could report on the conclusion of the first stage of the project that, “The apparent and increasing risk to which the valuable records in the Department were exposed induced a decision to erect on the site of the proposed Law Courts and Register General’s buildings as much of the internal portion of the latter as would admit of the removal thereto of Births, Deaths and Marriages Branch and the Deeds Branch, both with their records. Although this portion of the building is not necessarily fireproof, yet it is to a great extent isolated and a great improvement upon the state of affairs existing before its erection. The building was carried out by contract” (13). The final cost of the project was 7198 pounds and into this wing were moved the Deeds Branch from Elizabeth Street and Births, Deaths and Marriages department from Castlereagh Street (14). A few years later work commenced on the next stage of the project. In 1907 and 1908 plans were prepared for the western, southern and eastern wings (15). A parliamentary enquiry was initiated to enquire into the scope, design and cost of the works. The end result of this investigation was that the Committee recommended an increase in the budget for the project from 65,676 pounds to 76,658 pounds the difference to be accounted for by a modification to the design which required it to be built entirely of sandstone (Figure 17) rather than a combination of brick and stone which had been the original intention of Vernon. His reasoning behind this decision had been to contain costs and produce a design that would “convey the impression that the building (was) one for working purposes rather than one designed for aesthetic reasons” (16). However, the Parliamentary Standing Committee, on the advice of several prominent architects of the time including John Sulman, considered that the new building should compliment the nearby buildings including St Marys as well as those planned for the future (law courts on the site of the Mint and Hyde Park Barracks). As well it was considered important that the new building enhance the magnificent site then partially occupied by the office. Vernon completely agreed with the conclusions having only curbed his original design according to the Brief, which required financial constraint (17).

10 ”A Magnificent Structure The Offices of the Registrar General Hyde Park Sydney”., Building 12 June 1913., 56ff 11 NSW Department of Public Works Annual Report Government Architects Branch 1904 12 PWD Archives Plan 1904. 13 NSW Department of Public Works Annual Report 1904-5 14 Evidence of the Parliamentary Standing Committee 1908., 6, 384 15 NSW PWD Archives plans. 16 Evidence of the Parliamentary Standing Committee 1908., 6 17 Ibid.


Figure 17 - Proposed south elevation of the Registrar General's Department, dated March 1908, showing the scheme designed entirely of sandstone. (Source: NSW DPW&S)

The contract was let in 1909. In 1909-1910 the Government Architect reported on the parameters of this project; “Erection of new offices (for Registrar General) 83,9777 pounds. Contractors Messrs Loveridge and Hudson. These new offices when completed present an imposing appearance worthy of the important site which they occupy. The architectural style adopted is Perpendicular Gothic; the external walls of sandstone upon a base of trachyte. The building throughout is of fire resistant construction, the basement is occupied as vaults for the storage of valuable documents, records and registers which are deposited in the building. On the ground floor the eastern wing will be devoted to the Land Titles Office, the central portion to public offices and the western wing to Births, Deaths and Marriages Branch. The Deeds Branch, Deeds registers and the Drafting Room will be accommodated on the first floor. The second floor is set apart for the Registrar General’s Room, the Examining Branch and storage for the Deeds Register, Caretaker’s Quarters and other accommodation have been provided on the upper floor. A special feature which has been introduced in the construction of this building is the method of warming and ventilating. Fresh air


will be extracted by means of specially constructed fans and ducts. The fresh air before being admitted to rooms will be filtered and purified “ (18). Detailed plans were prepared by the Government Architect’s Branch for the new wing in 1910-1911. By mid 1911 over 29,000 pounds had been spent on the work but it was noted that the project had been delayed by the contractors having trouble locating stonemasons (19). A dearth of stonemasons continued to plague the project although the western wing had been completed by December 1911. This housed the Births, Deaths and Marriages Branch on the ground floor and the Deeds Branch on the upper floors. At this time considerable progress had been made on the southern and eastern wings despite, in addition to tradesmen, a shortage of stone for the work (20). By mid 1913 the building had been essentially completed (Figure 18) and it was anticipated that it would be fully occupied by the commencement of 1914. The delay was caused by a considerable amount of additional work that was executed with respect to office fittings, counters, partitions and the like (21). The final cost of the project was well over 91,000 pounds and it was anticipated even at that time that more space would be required for the future needs of the department “at no distant date”. To that end provision had been made in the design for another wing on the northern side of the offices (22). At its opening much comment was made on the size, details and technical accomplishment of the new building. The Sydney Morning Herald referred to it as a “magnificent edifice” and drew attention to the spaciousness of the rooms and the abundance of natural light. The parquetry floors laid throughout were commented upon and the plenum system of heating and ventilation, with the furnace located in the basement, was considered to be particularly favourable. Two areas in particular were considered to be fine. These were the office of the Registrar General located on the second floor of the west wing, which was asserted to be the finest office in Sydney (23), and the Land Titles Record Room with its sweeping entrance from College Street was thought to be largest chamber of its kind in the country (24). The automatically closing fire doors, supplied by Elliot, Maclean and Co., which firm also supplied the steel for the building, drew much admiration (25) and generally, the construction applied to the building to ensure it being as fire-proof as possible, stone walls, concrete floors and steel doors, windows and frames, was considered to be unique (26). As part of this aspect of the work the original wooden floors of the 1905 wing had been removed and replaced with concrete

18 NSW Department of Public Works Annual Report 1909-10. Government Architects Branch. 19 Ibid., 1910-1911. 20 Ibid., 1911-1912. 21 Ibid., 1912 - 1913 22 Ibid. 23 “Land Titles Office” SMH 19 July 1913, 7 24 Ibid. 25 “A Magnificent Structure The Offices of the Registrar General”, Building June 1913., 56 26 “The Registrar General’s Office Sydney”., Building August 1919., 64.


(27). Other than this little change had been made to the pre-existing wing other than some alterations to the northern windows. Equally well received was the setting of the building in its environment. Isolated by means of necessity, as a fire precaution, the site was considered to be one of the best in Sydney, with Hyde Park as a “front garden” and a wide sweep of road. The new building was thought to enhance this place and complimented the Gothic style of the near-by St Marys Cathedral. It was claimed by professional journals to be one of the “finest architectural features” of the city (28).

Figure 18 - The Registrar General's Office c1912 showing the south facade from Prince Albert Road. (Source: MLSLNSW)

27 Evidence of the Parliamentary Standing Committee 1908., 6 28 A Magnificent Structure The Offices of the Registrar General”, Building June 1913., 56


Perhaps ironically, with the large and spacious new offices now completed, work in the department and staff declined almost immediately during the years of the First World War. Few changes were made to the building as a response to the war with the exception of a miniature rifle range which was formed in “a sort of yard” to provide a practice course for volunteers and rifle club members (29). Materials shortages as well precluded much work on the building during these years as well as the immediate post-war years; for example, wire rope needed to repair the lifts was in short supply at this time (30). However, several changes were made to the duties and administration of the department that prepared it for the suburban boom of the 1920s. Staff increases after the war were required to cope with growing demands. Already by this time the new building was beginning to feel the pinch particularly in the area of the Land Titles Office which had outgrown the projections of the Government Architect. 3.2.9 1917 - 1939: Big Plans A few relatively minor alterations were made to the new building in the first years after its completion. In 1922 plans were prepared for alterations to the Examiners Branch on the second floor (31). By the end of the 1920s the shortcomings of the new building were becoming evident and the first plans were prepared in 1927 for the proposed northern wing. More detailed plans for the wing were drawn throughout 1928 to 1930 (32) but the project, like thousands around the country, came to a halt as the effects of the 1930s Depression began to take hold of the economy. The last plans were prepared in 1930 at which time the estimated cost of the final phase of the building was 74,700 pounds (33). As Australia sank into another depression the business of the office was drastically reduced and, as before in similar circumstances, staff were retrenched or redeployed to other departments; 59% were lost from the office between 1929 and 1931. Revenue also drastically declined at the same time. It was not until the later 1930s, with an upturn in the general economy as well as the introduction of new Acts, for example the Companies Act of 1936, that business in the department began to revive again. By 1937 transactions were said to be approaching a level that equalled those undertaken prior to the depression. Minor works on the buildings were resumed; plans were prepared for a new door and sidelights to the corridor near the library (34). Almost symbolic of a return to better times were the celebrations for the sesquicentenary of NSW in 1938. The Land Titles Office, like many other public buildings, was decked in lights to celebrate the event (35).

29 AMF File 1914; Proposed Site of Rifle Range Registrar General’s Building. 30 RG File Lift Inspection and Maintenance File 13M.8141A 31 PWD Archives Plans 32 PWD Archive Plans 33 PWD Annual Report 1930 34 PWD Archives plans 35 Image of RG building decorated for 1938 sesquicentenary celebrations. ML Collection of the Government printer.


3.2.10 1939 - 1945: Blackout The commencement of the Second World War created another hiatus with staff leaving for active service and to new departments related to the war effort. Despite this the department had a full workload with activities such as secondment to help prepare military ordnance maps and searches related to rationing and child endowment. Work on the building, however, virtually came to a standstill. The only plans prepared during these years were for reinforcements and the installation of electric light in the basement of the northern wing. These drawings were prepared in 1942 (36) and the work carried out in that year. The work was undertaken as a precaution in the event of a direct hit on the building. At the same time a new basement was constructed to help store records and act as a third air raid shelter; this became the basis of the future northern wing. Apart from these works the principal war time precautions amounted to stocking the shelters with large amounts of tea, installing stand pipes and hoses on the roofs of the eastern and western wings and black out materials on the windows (37). At the end of the war numerous requests had to be made to get the strutting removed from the basements, which were greatly reduced in space because of these supports, and the blackout paint from the windows (38). 3.2.11 1945 - 1967: Extensions and Renovations After the war Sydney underwent another land boom that greatly increased the work of the department despite the low numbers of staff, some till in the forces and others on secondment. Staff numbers grew rapidly to 1950, although the department remained understaffed form some years, but many employees were new to the department and required training in the midst of the post-war pressures. The latter included not only the land boom and the enormous expansion of the suburbs but a rise in marriages and the birth rate. In the midst of these problems the building was proving to be inadequate to meet the needs of the department particularly the Survey Drafting Branch. It was estimated that by the end of the 1950s the Companies and Births, Deaths and Marriages Branches would need to be housed elsewhere as the records relating to land would fill the entire Chancery Square building. As an emergency measure a demountable hut was erected on a triangle of land to the west of the western wing and this served, particularly the overflow of the survey department, until the construction of the northern wing (Figure 19). Envisioned as part of the original design in 1905 and again in 1908 it had been argued strongly at the time that construction of the northern wing would in the long term be cheaper than building in piecemeal fashion. Although not required at the time for the Registrar General’s purposes it could have been used for several other government departments which, at the beginning of the century,

36 PWD Plan Archive plan 37 War Precautions File 39M.10242 38 Ibid.


Figure 19 - The northern wing under construction, c1954. (Source: Land Titles Office Collection)


were renting accommodation throughout the city (39). Despite the arguments and incentives the work did not proceed until a critical point was again reached in the resources of the office. A new set of plans for the northern wing were prepared by the Government Architects Branch in 1950 and the working drawings and specifications were completed in the period 1951 - 1952. The estimated cost of the new wing was 180,00 pounds (40). Work on the building commenced in 1954 and was completed in 1956 at which time it was officially opened by Premier Cahill (41). In the following years after its completion, despite post-war financial constraints, funds were found to maintain the building. In the period 1958-1959 this amounted to seven thousand pounds (42). Almost immediately, as Sydney entered a long boom involving immense numbers of land transactions, plans were prepared to extend the northern wing. In 1959-61 sketches were prepared for an addition estimated to cost between 600,000 and 650,000 pounds (43). Work commenced in 1961-1962 and was then estimated to cost 769,000 pounds (44). The work comprising additions and alterations to the northern wing to act as a new records repository was completed in early 1963 (45). The situation again reached a critical point by the end of the decade when in the period 1968 - 1973 Sydney experienced a massive boom both within the CBD and the suburbs. One response to this was the creation of the strata title, a revolutionary concept of three-dimensional subdivision. With the offices of the department the new demands were met by another programme of extensions. In 1965-66 a Revenue Vote was made for 203,000 pounds and a loan vote for 100,000 pounds to fund further extensive renovations to the old buildings and alterations to the east wing, roof area and the provision of new accommodation, a fire escape and book lift (46). In the period 1966 -67 over $104,000 was voted to maintain the building (47). 3.2.12 1967 - 1996: Modernisation From the early 1960s some improvements had been made that eased the immense burden on the Department brought about by its numerous and varied duties. In 1962 the Companies Branch moved out and in 1975 Births, Deaths and Marriages was finally established as a separate department within the responsibility of the Department of Services rather than that of the Attorney General and Justice, the umbrella department for the Registrar General’s Office. At the same time the Registrar General’s Department (renamed Land Titles Office in 1978), the Western Lands Commission and the Lands

39 Evidence of the Parliamentary Standing Committee 1908., 10 40 PWD Archive and Annual Report of GAB 1951-2 41 “Public Service Praised by Premier” SMH 6 November 1956., 7 42 PWD Annual Report BCM report 1958-59. 43 PWD Annual Report 1959-61 44 PWD Annual Report 1961-62 45 PWD Annual Report 1963 46 PWD Annual Report 1965-66 47 PWD Annual Report 1966-67


Department (renamed the Crown Lands Office) were all brought together as an enlarged Lands Department which was the core of the Lands and Forest portfolio. In 1986 the Land Titles Office was returned to the Attorney General’s Department. In 1988 the LTO was officially recognised as a separate administrative unit in the Natural Resources portfolio. Meanwhile storage of records and public space remained a critical issue. In 1973 several branch offices were housed in rented space in the Centrepoint building which, for a decade, would be the public office of the department. Changes in the manner in which documents were copied and maintained eased some of the more critical problems of access. Changing technology greatly assisted the process, particularly the introduction of microfilming and the use of computers. The introduction of a Land Index in 1969 also made public and search access to the records more available. Several Acts of the later 1970s, including the Land Vendors (Amendment) Act made conveyancing an easier process and attempted to clear up some of the remaining confusion that remained from Old Systems Titles. The automation of the Torrens Register was a major breakthrough. By the 1980s New South Wales had the largest centralised system of recording land ownership in the world and it was the first to embrace computerised registration. By the 1990s the computerisation of the records of the department had become such that terminals in regional offices allow searchers access to the Sydney based records. Additional improvements have been made through the use of optical disc. Commensurate with the improvements made to the technology employed within the building several programmes were initiated to modernise the structure and services housed within it. In 1972 a major upgrade was made of the records wing (48). In the period 1973 - 1974 the electric services were completely overhauled (49). In 1983 the several branches that had operated in the Centrepoint building returned to the Queens Square building. In 1984-5 a major upgrade of the records branch basement level was undertaken at a cost of $0.07 million (50) and finally in 1990-91 another two major renovation programmes were carried out in the building (51).

3.3 Archaeological Assessment Prior to its use as the site for the construction of the second Registrar General’s building this land was occupied fully or partially first as the site of a convict garden associated with Hyde Park Barracks. Later in the nineteenth century the triangular land behind the barracks was developed as the site of the Colonial Architect’s office. The land to the south of this, now under the principal block of the Land Titles Office, had a path leading to the office and remained open, grassed space. On the other side of the office of the Architect was a wood stockpile used by the Department of Public Works.

48 PWD Annual Report 1972 49 PWD Annual Report 1973-74 50 PWD Annual Report 1984-85 51 PWD Annual Report 1990-91


Both former functions, garden and office, have historical associations and roles but it is unlikely that major components of either would have survived the construction activity associated with the development of the site for the Land Titles Building. However, as significant (if fragmented) archaeological components have been located close to the building (relating principally to the Hyde Park Barracks) it would be advisable that any works that disturb the surface of the ground in or around the site of the building (including the street) should be monitored for the purpose of identifying and recording significant features that may be revealed by that work. To do so an Excavation Permit will be required from the Heritage Council of NSW with provisions for monitoring and recording. Application may be made through the Heritage Branch of the NSW Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. At least one month should be allowed for the processing of the application.


4.0 PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

4.1 Generally This section of the report sets out the results of investigations of the existing physical fabric of the Department of Lands, comprising the Land Titles Office and Land Records Office and their immediate surroundings and settings. The original survey of physical fabric was carried out during the first half of 1996, and was reviewed by various architects from Noel Bell Ridley Smith & Partners, on dates between April and June 2004. The survey generally aims to:

• Confirm the extent and condition of original elements • Confirm the extent and location of alterations and modifications that

have taken place to the internal fabric • Determine how existing surviving early and original fabric provides

evidence of the buildings early evolution. The investigation also sought to examine in a general manner the condition of the existing fabric and components to provide general policy guidelines for future conservation action and to identify constraints that will apply to future adaptation of the use of the building. Physical research was carried out without excavation or physical intervention in the fabric.

4.2 Setting and Physical Context The Land Titles Office is located in Prince Albert Road at the Northern end of College Street, occupying a peninsular site. The buildings principal facade forms a termination to College Street with a secondary public entrance on the Western face adjoining the southern boundary wall of Hyde Park Barracks. The records wing is recessed behind the main building at the rear of Hyde Park Barracks and can be seen from Queens Square and the Government Domain. Major components of the immediate setting of the Land Titles Office include: • The Prince Albert Road forecourt • The North Eastern edge of Hyde Park • The Northern End of St Mary’s Cathedral • The Fraser memorial fountain • The Domain entry gates • The Domain Lodge in Art Gallery Road • The Southern End of the Government Domain • The Hyde Park Barracks Building • The Stone boundary wall of the Hyde Park Barracks site • The Land Titles Office car park area • The Prince Albert Statue in Queens Square


Any changes to these elements will effect the significance of the Land Titles Office building, however consideration of controls for these areas are largely beyond the scope of this conservation management plan. The close relationship of the Land Titles Office Building and the Records Building with Hyde Park Barracks is one which requires special consideration when issues of the setting of the building are discussed. The buildings location encroaches on the original curtilage of the former Barracks and the buildings share common areas through the courtyard areas. The setting of the Land Titles Office Building and Land Records Building is one of the most important in Sydney occupying a pivotal point in the Queen’s Square precinct and in the College Street group. Careful evaluation of any proposals for change to this setting is essential for all of the items involved, despite the acknowledged hierarchy of significance and rarity. Landscaping around the building includes the following components: • Planting and grass verge along Art Gallery Road and Hospital Road,

including Port Jackson Fig Trees • Planting and paving along Prince Albert Road • The landscape elements of Queen Square and Hyde Park Barracks • The kerb and paving of Prince Albert Road, Art Gallery Road and Hospital

Road Principal vistas and views of the building from surrounding areas include: • Direct vistas down College Street which culminate in the buildings main

facade (highly significant) (Figure 20) • Views from Queen Square and Macquarie Street (highly significant) • Views from Hyde Park (significant) (Figure 21) • Views from St Mary’s Road looking west (significant) • Views from the Government Domain (less significant) (Figure 22) The Land Titles Office is a focal point in many of the vistas and has been designed to form a complimentary termination and backdrop to many of the earlier historic structures that surround it. The building was designed as part of a grand scheme for Chancery Square which was never proceeded with, however the building is complete in its own right and is perceived as a three dimensional object in an open setting.

4.3 Identification of Existing Fabric 4.3.1 External fabric Each facade of the original and early wings of the Lands Title Office is symmetrical around its centre axis and is designed in a series of bays. Each bay is defined by an octagonal corner pier and turret and generally contains three smaller divisions of equally spaced window widths. The basement of the building is defined by heavy rusticated rock faced trachyte with a bevelled plinth stone at ground floor level. The dressed openings at pavement level providing light to the basement areas, are protected by


massive, scrolled wrought steel grills set in the reveals (Figure 23). Decorative bronze air grills (Figure 24), with an Art Nouveau ‘Tulip design’ at ground level, form part of the elaborate air circulation system designed by W.L. Vernon for the building. The Ground floor of the building is separated from the upper floors by a continuous projecting stringcourse. Each of the windows on the ground floor is embellished with a projecting hood mould. The windows throughout are steel framed with rectangular leaded glass divisions to the casement sashes. The Second and Third floors contain the principal ornamentation, including projecting oriel windows, open arcades, and ‘Tudor’ Gothic plate tracery in the spandrels. The second floor is separated from the parapet by a decorative string course featuring elaborate ‘Gothic’ carved bosses, several of which incorporate the stylised entwined initials of those concerned with the erecting of the building. (Ref. Appendix 9.13). The oriel windows, on each facade, have elaborately carved support corbels at the base with an oak leaf motif whilst the adjoining corbels, at the base of the engaged piers, are all individually carved with scrolling leaf motifs. Bosses at the corners of the oriels are grotesques featuring animal forms however few are true operating gargoyles.

Figure 20 - The view looking north along College Street terminates with the Land and Property Information Office.


Figure 21 - Looking northeast from Hyde Park to the Land and Property Information Office.


Figure 22 - Looking southwest along Hospital Road from the Domain towards the Land and Property Information Office.

Figure 23 - Typical dressed openings at street level and scrolled wrought steel grilles.


Figure 24 - Detail of the decorative bronze air grilles with Art Nouveau 'Tulip' motif.

Southern Facade The Southern Facade is the principal frontage of the building and is symmetrical around its central axis at the end of College Street. The facade is divided into 5 sections dominated by 3 steep gables, and focused on the ground floor entry door, approached by curving steps in the central bay. The upper levels of the flanking gables on the Southern elevation contain blind arcading at two levels, with plate ornamentation, finishing in a ventilation slot and an Arts and Crafts style finial apex. The central Southern entry bay has a projecting balcony over the main door that is decorated in plate tracery with gargoyle drains to the balcony floor. The entry arch is Tudor Gothic in form, with mouldings disappearing at the springing point, in the Arts and Crafts manner. The keystone over the opening is carved with the date 1912. Flanking the door are two projecting piers terminating at first floor level with two heraldic lion figures with shields and halberds. The original door and expanding mesh security gates have been replaced with unsympathetic modern door fittings, with the exception of the decorative ironwork which remains in the spandrel. The prominent semi circular entry steps are flanked by stone walls that end in trachyte piers, surmounted by modern metal light fittings. The detail of these steps is again in the Arts and Crafts manner. Original building signage has been removed from the flanking walls but evidence of the position and size can still be seen. The central southern gable rises higher than the flanking gables and incorporates a large Royal Coat of Arms above an additional range of attic windows on level six. The gable is topped off with a ventilation slot and an Arts and Crafts Style finial apex stone. Two, two storey bays project either side of the main Southern entrance, with Gothic tracery windows at ground level and open arcaded verandahs at first floor level. The parapets of these bays are unornamented, in contrast to the main roofline. Eastern Facade The Eastern Facade, fronting Art Gallery Road, is symmetrical around the central bay which features three oriel windows topped by open balconies. The roof level treatment is similar to the other facades though featuring individual carved details. The original simple pitched slate roof form has been compromised by an unsympathetic mansard roof of ribbed copper.


Western Facade The Western facade facing Queen Square is also symmetrical around the central gabled bay, located over a principle public entrance at the ground floor level. The entry is approached by a semi circular flight of steps and through a Tudor arch flanked by Art nouveau detailing. Whilst modern revolving doors have been introduced the original patent expanding steel security gates and decorative grill are still in place. The tapered feature piers on either side of the entry which end in carved corbels supporting pilasters, run up the face of the facade, and are decidedly Art Nouveau in character and detail. Upper floors of the central bay have open arcades with ogee arches and windows with cusped tracery. The simple pitched slate roof on this facade has been compromised by an unsympathetic mansard roof addition in ribbed copper. Northern Elevation The original North ends of the East and West Wings are fully detailed to match the original work and feature a central oriel under each gable. Between these two sections the plainer sandstone masonry section of the 1940’s North Wing, was inserted and now is largely obscured by the later Records Wing that attaches at right angles to this section of the original building. Records Wing The records wing built in 1963 is a reinforced concrete structure designed to withstand collapse of the upper floors to protect the records storage in the basements. Designed in a simple version of the Sydney School of design the Records Wing rises through six levels above ground level and its simple rectangular facades consist of alternating vertical panels of clinker brickwork and marble clad columns, with bronze window infill spandrels. The wing is separated by a continuous window slot at its junction with the main building. At roof level, simple cubic plant room forms of painted render are located over the stair and lift cores. Roofs The roofs of the early wings of the Land Titles office are constructed of timber framing with purple Bangor slate cladding and copper trims. The original forms incorporate simple intersecting gables and hipped roofs. Later unsympathetic alterations made to the East and West wings introduced large metal roofed mansards which interrupt these original forms. The roof volumes have always incorporated accommodation of various types including originally a caretakers residence in the southern wing.


The roof of the records wing is a flat built up membrane over a reinforced concrete roof. Two significant projections on this roof house access stairs, air conditioning plant and lift motor rooms. Care has been taken with the design of the roof level elements on this portion of the buildings to avoid visual clutter and to present clean architectural forms. 4.3.2 Internal Fabric The interior of the Land Titles Office has been significantly altered by the removal of the majority of original internal fabric, as evidenced by a comparison of the original contract drawings for the Western, Southern and Eastern Wings with the existing building. Areas where changes have occurred that affect the significance of the place include the following: • Removal of circulation stairs and lift to the Western Wing • Removal of circulation stairs and lift to the Eastern Wing • Removal of decorative fabric, including cornices, skirtings and coffered

ceiling plasterwork throughout the three original wings • Additions to the Southern Wing entry foyer • Removal of joinery window and door infill to arches, Southern Wing, Ground

Floor • Addition of mansard roof areas and removal or original structural roof fabric The interiors of the buildings consist of a series of interconnecting large scaled spaces in each of the wings. Many of these areas have double height volumes and are modulated by rows of columns. The character of the spaces is generally classical, however so much of the original material has been removed that the interiors no longer represent the Edwardian character of the original design intent as indicated on the surviving drawings. No comprehensive pictorial record of the original interiors has been identified and physical inspection of the remaining fabric does not clearly indicate the form or detail of the lost fabric. The interiors of the Records Wing are substantially intact except on the 4th floor, and represent a typical mid 20th Century Public Works fitout of considerable quality. Implications of the present condition of the interiors are such that further modifications and adaptation of internal spaces may well be acceptable without further loss of significant heritage value. Where however remnant significant original and early interior features and spaces do survive they should be given appropriate conservation treatment to ensure retention of identified significance. Individual descriptions of spaces within the building including identification of materials and elements of significance are given in the inventory, Section 5.5. 4.3.3 Services The design of the building incorporated an innovative method of ventilating and warming the internal spaces, using fans and ducts to extract the air whilst fresh air was filtered and purified before being admitted to rooms. Evidence remains of this system in the form of the internal ducts along the external walls of the


Western, Southern and Eastern Wings. It is important that the remaining fabric of the early ventilation system be left intact where possible and any evidence of early services is recorded when uncovered to allow for future interpretation of the early servicing of the place. Where areas are to be refurbished or restored, new services should be non intrusive and should not be installed at the expense of early or original fabric. When new lighting is installed, the type of fitting should be appropriate and sympathetic to the identified significance and character of the different areas of the Land Titles Office, both the Western, Southern and Eastern Wings (and to a lesser extent the Northern Wing) and the contrasting character of the Records Wing. 4.3.4 Summary and Conclusion The surveys undertaken of the character and condition of the existing layout and fabric of the Lands Department Building generally shows that: • Much of the internal character of the Western, Southern and Eastern wings

has been compromised by the removal or adaptation of stairs and lifts, decorative features, fitouts, furniture and finishes, and the ad hoc approach to the insertion of services throughout the building.

• The Records Wing retains much of its original fabric and character and should be considered to have significance for the overall heritage value of the place.

• Records of the present state of the building should be made at regular intervals to monitor conditions and changes to original and early fabric.


5.0 ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE AND ASSESSMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE

5.1 Introduction In coordinating and analysing the documentary and physical evidence relating to the Land Titles Office, the primary aim has been to establish the nature of the origins, subsequent development and use of the place (including its significant contents and surrounding setting) particularly as these relate to surviving fabric, together with any other aspect, quality or association which will provide a useful basis for the assessment of cultural significance. The Burra Charter defines cultural significance as ‘aesthetic, historic, scientific or social value for past, present or future generations’ and establishes the range of values used for assessment, each category inevitably overlapping one or more of the others. In this report use is made of the criteria developed by J.S. Kerr in The Conservation Plan which are more specifically directed at determining the “how” and “why” of a place’s significance, these include: • The ability of the place to demonstrate, that is provide evidence in its fabric

of - a particular philosophy, custom, taste, design, usage, process, technique or association with events or persons;

• The associational links of the place for which there is no surviving physical

evidence; • The formal or aesthetic qualities of the place. The need to establish the degree of significance of the components of a place is also addressed so that: • When considering the place’s “ability to demonstrate” - the evidence is

investigated to establish just how early, seminal, intact, representative or rare a particular element or aspect may be;

• When assessing its “associational links” - the importance of the person or

event, the nature of the association and nature of the evidence of it which survives are taken into account;

• When evaluating “formal or aesthetic qualities” - the degree of design

quality, relationship of the component parts and setting and extent of inappropriate alterations are of relevance.

5.2 Analysis of Documentary and Physical Evidence 5.2.1 Generally The Documentary Evidence indicates, and the Physical Evidence confirms, that the building fabric generally dates from five distinct building phases, namely:


Phase 1: 1905 Temporary Building - No physical evidence remains of this phase.

Phase 2: 1914 East, South and West Wings

Phase 3:

1917-1939 Alterations

Phase 4:

1956 North Wing

Phase 5:

1963 Records Wing

Phase 6:

1967-1996 Refurbishment and adaptation of building

Despite a significant amount of documentation for the original form of the interiors of the building, there remains little intact physical fabric to indicate how the building was fitted out and used in its early phases of operations. The continued care of the place by the NSW Department of Public Works and Services (now within the NSW Department of Commerce) and its occupation by a single Government Department over many years has assisted in the process of identifying the cultural significance of the building. 5.2.2 Ability to Demonstrate This section considers both ‘ability to demonstrate’ and ‘associational links for which there is no surviving physical evidence’. The Land and Property Information Division Office building (also known as the Land Titles Office) was established for the purpose of housing the functions of the Registrar General’s Office and the associated Government Department. Despite several changes of name the building is still used to accommodate the registration of Land Titles and provide information on land ownership in New South Wales. The building also has important associations with significant persons in Government and Government bureaucracy. The Land Titles Office was designed by WL Vernon, NSW Government Architect and was constructed by the firm Loveridge and Hudson. The project architect for the Records Wing extension was Peter Hall, of the Government Architect’s Branch. The external fabric of the Land Titles Office and the external and internal fabric of the Records Wing extension are substantially intact and provide evidence of architectural origins and associations as well as its role as a representative example of the work of its designers and builders. The evolution of the building demonstrates the continuing role of the NSW Government Architects Office in the design of public buildings in New South Wales. Formal and Aesthetic Qualities Documentary material provides evidence of contemporary evaluation of the formal and aesthetic qualities of the building including both its representative


characteristics as a product of the NSW Government Architect Office and its more notable features including its architectural style and detail and its position within the urban cultural landscape of Sydney. The high degree of intactness of the external fabric is a direct demonstration of its aesthetic significance. The Land Titles Office complements its surrounding environment and is a major urban architectural feature in this part of the city and is a major focal point in vistas, particularly along College Street. The Building as a Whole The formal and aesthetic qualities of the building as a whole have been significantly impacted upon by the alterations and additions made to the internal fabric of the Western, Southern and Eastern Wings, notably the removal of decorative fabric, fitout, furniture and finishes, which have been replaced with modern unsympathetic furnishings and finishes. The external features have been compromised to a small degree by the replacement of the stairs and entry of the Western Wing and to a lesser extent the changes made to the Southern entry to the building. In addition, the visual impact of the surrounding unsympathetic features, such as the carpark enclose on the eastern side of the building, detract from the building’s aesthetic qualities and original character. 5.2.3 Comparative Analysis The Land and Property Information Office Queens Square is one of a group of intact Public Buildings designed under the NSW Government Architect, Walter Liberty Vernon, and completed under the direction of his successor, George McRae. The building is a major architectural element in the government precinct situated to the east of Macquarie Street. Vernon took over from James Barnet (known as the Colonial Architect), bringing his own influences, especially by drawing on the Arts and Crafts style for much of his design work. During the period Walter Liberty Vernon was the Government Architect (1890-1911), his office prepared designs for:

• The Registrar General’s Building • The Mitchell Wing of the State Library of New South Wales • The Art Gallery of New South Wales • Former Fisher Library at the University of Sydney (now McLaurin Hall) • Central Railway Station • Fire Stations at Darlinghurst and Pyrmont • Various country Post Offices and Courthouses

Vernon was also responsible for additions to Customs House (Alfred Street), the General Post Office (Martin Place) and the Chief Secretary’s Building (Macquarie Street).


5.3 Basis of Cultural Significance 5.3.1 Introduction This assessment of heritage is based on the methodology and guidelines set down by the NSW Heritage Office and considers the standard values or criteria which arise from the history, construction and use of the building and its site as well as any levels of esteem by recognised groups for the site. Heritage significance, cultural significance and cultural value are all terms used to describe an item’s value or importance to our own society. This value may be contained in the fabric of an item, its setting and its relationship to other items, the response that the item stimulates to those who value it now and in the historical record that allow us to understand it in its own context. An assessment of what is significant is not static. Significance may increase as more is learnt about the past and as items become rare, endangered or are found to document or illustrate aspects that achieve a new recognition of importance. Determining cultural value is the basis of all planning for places of historic value. Determination of significance permits informed decisions or future planning that ensures that the expressions of significance are retained, enhanced or at least minimally impacted upon. A clear understanding of the nature and degree of significance will determine the parameters for flexibility of future planning and development. The historical analysis provides the context for assessing significance, which is made by applying standard evaluation criteria to the development and associations of an item. The NSW Heritage Manual has produced standard evaluation criteria that are compatible with the criteria used by the Australian Heritage Commission in assessing items for the Register of the National Estate, and with those included in The Burra Charter. 5.3.2 Evaluation criteria State significance, in relation to a place, building, work, relic, moveable object or precinct, means significance to the State in relation to the historical, scientific, cultural, social, archaeological, architectural, natural or aesthetic value of the item (section 4A(1), Heritage Act 1977). Those values relate to specific criteria used by the NSW heritage Office to evaluate the cultural significance of a place as follows: Criterion A An item is important in the course, or pattern, of NSW’s cultural

or natural history (Historical value).

Criterion B An item has strong or special association with the life or works of a person, or a group of persons, of importance in NSW’s cultural or natural history (Historical/associative value).

Criterion C An item is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in NSW (Aesthetic value).


Criterion D An item has strong or special association with a particular

community or cultural group in NSW for social, cultural or spiritual reasons (Social value).

Criterion E An item has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of NSW’s cultural or natural history (Technical/research value).

Criterion F An item possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of NSW’s cultural or natural History (Rarity).

Criterion G An item is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of NSW’s - Cultural or natural places: or - Cultural or natural environments (Representativeness).

5.3.3 Application of the NSW State Heritage Criteria to the NSW Land

Titles Office Criterion A An item is important in the course, or pattern, of NSW’s cultural or natural history (Historical value). The Land Titles Office Building in Chancery Square, although not the first or only building associated with this department, embodies the mature phase of evolution of one of the most important and influential colonial and later, state bureaucracies in NSW. Representative of the resolution of long standing issues of ever-increasing responsibilities, staff and records the additions and changes made during the twentieth century document changes in these responsibilities and the means and processes involved in administering them. The construction of this building arose from issues and problems that had been on going almost since the establishment of the system in 1788, principally an ever increasing work load, vast documentation associated with those responsibilities and an increase in staff required to administer the work. As well the addition and changes made to its during the twentieth century document changes in those responsibilities and the means and processes involved in administering them. The scale of the building, essentially completed in three phases, underscores the escalating needs and importance of the office. The time of its construction also is important in documenting a major break with a past history that had come into disrepute by the end of the nineteenth century. The new building represents a clean break with that past as well as significant progress in, particularly, the registration of land transaction in NSW. The department housed in this building was among those that have had the most impact and the closest association with the people of the state. Not only directly associated with land purchases, for most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries this department was also directly responsible for registration of births, deaths and marriages. It had direct dealings with company business, patents, parliament, and several other activities.


Criterion B An item has strong or special association with the life or works of a person, or a group of persons, of importance in NSW’s cultural or natural history (Historical/associative value). The building has also close associations with several influential Registrar Generals, particularly William Gordon Hayes-Williams, who lobbied for its construction, as well as later administrators who were responsible for major changes in the work of the department, including Edward S Layton, Roy W Willis, Theodore Wells, Jack Watson, Bruce Davies, Raymond Hodgkinson and Warwick Watkins. The building is an important example of the work of the Colonial Architect Walter Liberty Vernon and a major undertaking by important building firm of Loveridge and Hudson. The mid twentieth century additions were also designed by the Government Architect’s branch of the NSW Department of Public Works and represent a long and on-going association between the two departments. The Records Wing is a prime example of the mid 20th Century Sydney School of architectural design by Peter Hall under the direction of the NSW Government Architect, which was documented by Allen and Jack Architects and demonstrates a fashionable regional aesthetic applied to an important public building in a recognised historic precinct. Criterion C An item is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in NSW (Aesthetic value). The Land Titles Office is one of the first and most important of public buildings designed and constructed in Sydney during the early years of the twentieth century. It was carefully designed to compliment the surrounding environment, both built and landscape, and was intended to be a major architectural feature in this part of the city. It was acknowledged by contemporaries to have achieved these objectives and remains one of the finest examples of Federation Tudor Gothic style architecture in Australia. Individual aspects of the building, especially the office of the Registrar General and the chamber for Land Titles, were considered at the time of construction to be very fine architectural additions to the city. It remains one of the most recognisable buildings in Sydney and is valued for its contribution to one of the most important architectural precincts. It acts as a major focal point in vistas, most importantly along College Street. The plan was carefully considered to facilitate the various functions carried out in the building, for example, the large room for the Examiner and the isolation of the Births, Deaths and Marriages section from the rest of the building for reasons of privacy. Retention of these spaces allows a clear interpretation of the earlier ways of managing and using the building which relates to those specific duties carried out in it as well as contemporary attitudes to issues such as privacy.


Criterion D An item has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in NSW for social, cultural or spiritual reasons (Social value). The Land and Property Information Building Queens Square was acknowledged at the time of its construction to be one of the finest in Sydney for design, finish and its contribution to setting. The building remains one of the most recognisable in the city and is valued for its contribution to one of the most important architectural precincts. Criterion E An item has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of NSW’s cultural or natural history (Technical/research value). The Land and Property Information Building Queens Square was technologically innovative in its design and detailing. The extensive use of stone, concrete and steel and the introduction of steel fire doors, all for the purpose of fire-proofing, was usual, if not unique, at the same time and was commented upon by contemporaries for its high quality. Similarly the system of heating and ventilation was considered to be a particularly successful feature of the building. Criterion F An item possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of NSW’s cultural or natural History (Rarity). The Land and Property Information building is one of a group of five extant comparable public buildings designed under the NSW Government Architect, Walter Liberty Vernon. The group comprises:

• The Land and Property Information Division Building (formerly the Registrar General’s Building)

• The Mitchell Wing of the State Library of New South Wales • The Art Gallery of New South Wales • Former Fisher Library at the University of Sydney (now McLaurin Hall) • Central Railway Station

The building, including the Records Building (North Wing), is evidence of the ongoing role of the NSW Government Architects Office in the design, repair and maintenance of major public buildings in Central Sydney. Criterion G An item is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of NSW’s - Cultural or natural places: or - Cultural or natural environments (Representativeness). The Land and Property Information Division Building (formerly the Registrar General’s Building) is representative of the Federation Gothic architectural style associated with the NSW Government Architect, Walter Liberty Vernon during the Federation period.


The architectural style draws on both correct and informal details of Gothic architecture to provide a broad effect, rather than intricate medieval detailing. The LPINSW incorporates traditional stone and slate finishes. And exhibits some general Tudor-Gothic detailing including crenellated walls, turrets, arched windows, masonry mullions, parapeted gables and a steeply pitched roof.

5.4 Statement of Cultural Heritage Significance The Land Titles Office is significant as a major Sydney landmark of considerable architectural quality occupying a pivotal position in a group of highly significant heritage structures in Sydney’s Queen Square Precinct. The significance of the land titles office lies in the quality of the building fabric and its visual relationship with St Mary’s Cathedral, St James Church and Hyde Park Barracks and in the historical and scientific association of its continued use as the repository of New South Wales land title information and Registrar Generals Department. The Land Records Building is an important 20th Century building representative of the Sydney School of design, which also contributes to the historic qualities of the surrounding precinct. The quality of the buildings are based on their design, materials and workmanship of the external building fabric from all periods of their construction, in the carved masonry, slate roofing, joinery and wrought metalwork, and early to mid 20th century detailing, which are of a very high order. The original building has major Architectural and streetscape values as an example of Federation ‘Tudor’ Gothic Revival architecture and forms an important focal element in a major historic landscape that is of primary importance to the City of Sydney. The original building has major associative values with significant Government officials from both the Registrar General’s Department and the Public Works Office of NSW, and is one of the major buildings constructed by prominent Sydney builders Loveridge and Hudson. The original building is one of the major architectural works of Walter Liberty Vernon, NSW’s first Government Architect and the extensions are representative of the government works of Cobden Parks, NSW Government architect, and of Peter Hall, of the Public Works Department. The original building has major associational levels of significance related to Social and Historic values in regard to the development and recording of land dealings and births, deaths and marriages records for the state of NSW. The original building incorporates exceptional technological innovations relating to the provision of air distribution and circulation.


5.5 Significant Spaces and Elements In accordance with The Conservation Management Plan by Dr James Semple Kerr, the significance of the various component elements of the place has been assesses against the above mentioned criteria and ranked for the purpose of enabling decisions on the future conservation and development of the place to be based on an understanding of its significance. These assessments are made without regard to the practical considerations that must subsequently be taken into account when formulating the policies. The schedules below identify components that contribute to the overall significance of the Land Titles Office and its setting as stated above, in one of the following categories: EXCEPTIONAL HIGH MODERATE LITTLE INTRUSIVE Some elements (including but not limited to those noted below) have been fully degraded by adaptation, and require restoration or reconstruction to recover their full significance. The categories should be read in context of the overall cultural heritage significance of the Land Titles Office. The plans included as Figures 25 to Figure 37 show the location and indicate the relative heritage significance of spaces within the building. Emphasis has been placed on identifying original and early fabric, together with fabric that contributes to an understanding of the evolution of the building. 5.5.1 Exceptional Significance This category includes rare or outstanding items of local or State significance, worthy of inclusion on any register of buildings of significance, which would if applied for, warrant inclusion on the State Heritage Register by the Heritage Council of NSW. Items in this category will display a high degree of intactness, and can be interpreted relatively easily. Fabric in this category includes: General elements of exceptional significance include:

• The general form and detailing of the external fabric of both buildings • The streetscape relationships of the building to the surrounding precinct

Stonework elements of exceptional significance include: • Trachyte base including chamfered plinth stones • All carved sandstone including arches, plate tracery, string courses,

hood moulds, bosses, gargoyles, turrets, crenellations, finial etc. • The pair of heraldic lions on the South Facade. • The royal coat of arms on the South Facade.

Roof level elements of exceptional significance include: • The original roof forms on each wing. • The original slate roofing and associated fixings and trims


Figure 25 – Plan of Basement B2 showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces within the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office.


Figure 26 – Plan of Basement B1, showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces within the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens Square.


Figure 27 – Plan of the ground floor layout showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces within the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens Square.


Figure 28 – Plan of the 1st floor level of the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens Square, showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces within the building.


Figure 29 - Plan of the 2nd floor level of the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens Square, showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces within the building.


Figure 30 Plan of Level 2A of the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens Square, showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces within the building.


Figure 28 - Plan of the 3rd floor level of the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens Square, showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces within the building.


Figure 29 - Plan of the 4th floor level of the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens Square, showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces within the building.






Figure 32 - Plan of Level 6A of the NSW Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens Square, showing the relative levels of heritage significance of spaces within the building.






All timber window and door joinery from the early periods of construction should be considered to be exceptionally significant and this significance would also include original and early hardware and fittings that survive in place.

Other joinery elements of particular note are:

• Original lift enclosure casework • Original stair between ground floor and attic floor level • Original handrails to early stairs

Metalwork elements of exceptional significance include: • Wrought steel scroll grills to basement openings. • Cast bronze ventilation grills to basement plinth • Wrought steel security patent expanding gates and associated

decorative grills to public entries. • Copper rainwater heads, down pipes and associated decorative fixings. • Metal halberds held by lion figures on South facade. • Original lift cage enclosure in the South wing. • Original balustrades to early stairs • Bronze metal detailing on records wing facades. • Brass memorial plaques, Southern Wing, Third Floor,

‘In memory of Charles Hardwick Keele’ ‘A tribute to William Gordon Hayes-Williams’

Additionally there are a number of decorative suspension supports associated with the former electric tramway system that are located on the external face of the building. These ought to be retained as evidence of this past function.

Internal finishes and Elements of exceptional significance include;

Χ All original columns, Western, Southern and Eastern Wings, Ground Floor, 2nd Floor and 3rd Floor

Χ Ventilation ducts, Western, Southern and Eastern Wings, Ground Floor, 2nd Floor and 3rd Floor

Χ Southern Wing arched openings and associated plaster detailing Χ Entry foyer, Southern Wing, plaster wainscotting, skirting and

decorative plasterwork to the underside of the stair, cornices and coffered ceiling details

Χ Coffered ceilings and cornice plaster detailing, Southern Wing, 2nd and 3rd Floors

Furniture Items of Exceptional Significance

• Table and chairs, Director’s Office, Eastern Wing, 3rd Floor Spaces in this category includes:

• Original stair hall and entrance vestibule (Southern Wing – ground floor to attic level)

• Ground Floor, 2nd Floor and 3rd Floor office areas (Western, Southern and Eastern Wings)

Views and vistas in this category include:


• Direct vistas northwards along College Street to the Main entrance (South elevation) of the Land and Property Information Division Office,

• Views from Queen Square and Macquarie Street. 5.5.2 High Significance This category comprises items of local or State significance, worthy of inclusion on any register of items of cultural significance. The place would retain a high degree of original fabric, and would demonstrate a key element of the items’ significance. It may include alterations that do not detract from the significance of the place. Fabric in this category includes:

• The stair located in the Records Wing (in the link between the former Land Titles Office and the Records Wing) between the Ground floor and the Lift Motor Room).

• Lift cars in the Records Wing Spaces in this category includes:

• Stair hall/lift lobby in the entrance vestibule to the Records Wing Views and vistas in this category include:

• Views from Hyde Park. • Views from St Mary’s Road, looking west. • Views from the Government Domain.

5.5.3 Moderate Significance Elements in this category have little heritage value, but contribute to the overall significance of the item, and may fulfil criteria for State listing. Altered or modified elements may be included. Fabric in this category includes: Roof materials that are not readily visible from public vantage points or have been altered from their original form and materials are not as significant as original materials and details that survive. The original structure of all roofs is significant and should be retained and regularly maintained. External elements of metalwork of significance include:

• Cast suspension support brackets fixed to the face of the building • Metal window frames on all levels • Bronze metal work on the Records Wing Other elements include: • Original plaster skirting, Western Wing, Ground Floor • Original plaster skirting, Southern Wing, Ground Floor • Original plaster skirting, Assistant Director’s Office, Southern Wing,

Ground Floor • Original plaster skirting, Eastern Wing, Third Floor, adjacent to entry

doors from Southern Wing


Records Wing: The Records Wing is considered to be a building of significance, as a good and relatively intact example of ‘Late 20th Century Sydney Regional’ or ‘Sydney School’ architecture. The original internal finishes provide the style and ambience of the building, and this character should be maintained. The form and detail of the Records Wing should be considered to be significant including;

• Foyers, original fabric including the vinyl tiling, timber and vinyl skirting,

clinker face brick walls, rendered and painted wall finish, timber panelling, modular suspended ceilings and lights, terrazzo stairs, metal balustrades and timber handrails, joinery doors and fixed furniture.

• Main spaces, original fabric including marble cladding to external

columns, clinker face brick walls, rendered and painted wall finish, timber louvre panels, mosaic tiled wall panels and bronze surrounds, original petitions to offices, fixed furniture, modular suspended ceilings and lights.

Spaces in this category includes: The main spaces of the Western and Southern Wings, Ground Floor, are considered to be significant spaces as both were originally designed to be predominantly the public interface for the functions of the Registrar General’s Office and were the main entries to the building. Both spaces have, however been compromised by the removal of the majority of original fabric, leaving only the structural elements.

• Main Space, Southern Wing, Ground Floor • Main Space, Western Wing, Ground Floor

Views and vistas in this category include: • There are no views or vistas in this category.

5.5.4 Little Significance This category comprises most of the alterations and additions made to accommodate changing requirements, where these are expedient and of marginal intrinsic worth. Their impact on the significance of the Land Titles Office ranges from neutral to tolerably adverse. Does not fulfil criteria for local or State listing. Fabric in this category includes:

• Concrete paving and steps located adjacent to the exterior of the Records Wing at ground floor level.

Spaces in this category includes:

• Spaces not identified elsewhere. • Spaces within the Records Wing located on Levels Basement 2 and

Basement 1.


• Loading bay - roof and platform, located on the eastern side of the Records Wing.


• Views to the loading bay from Hospital Road. 5.5.5 Intrusive This category comprises those alterations and additions that positively detract from the significance of the Land Titles Office, and includes fabric that in both materials and workmanship poorly emulates the original. Intrusive elements do not fulfil criteria for local or State listing. Fabric in this category includes:

• Copper finished mansard roof additions to the Western and Eastern Wings

• Skillion roof additions to the courtyard elevation of the Southern Wing • Stairs and entry to the Western Wing, entry and additions to the foyer in

the Southern Wing • Ducted and vinyl skirtings, Western, Southern and Eastern Wings • Modern lighting fixtures throughout the Western, Southern, Eastern and

Northern Wings • Metal ladders and cages visible from College Street and Hyde Park

Spaces in this category includes:

• Additions to the courtyard elevations on the Eastern Wing incorporating fire stairs and passageway, addition of fire stairs to the courtyard elevation of the Western Wing


• Views to the service ladder and recent alterations and accretions to the original slate roof form.

• Views to the copper mansard additions to the original slate roof.

5.6 Curtilage The NSW Heritage Office recognises four types of curtilage:

• Type 1 - Lot Boundary Curtilage • Type 2 - Reduced Heritage Curtilage • Type 3 - Expanded Heritage Curtilage • Type 4 - Composite Heritage Curtilage

5.6.1 Lot Boundary Curtilage This is the most common type of heritage curtilage, and occurs where the significant land around the heritage item coincides with the legal boundary. The Land and Property Information Division Office is located at Number 1 Prince Albert Road, Sydney, on land defined as Lot 1863 of Deposited Plan 1000001 and Lot 1864 of Deposited Plan 1000002 in the Parish of St James, County of Cumberland, and as shown in Figures 38 and 39.


The curtilage includes the immediate landscape setting of the building along Prince Albert Road, which is currently paved and maintained by Sydney City Council, and the grassed area to the east, which is vested with and maintained by the Royal Botanic Gardens. 5.6.2 Reduced Heritage Curtilage This type of curtilage arises where the significance of an item may not relate to the total lot, but to a lesser area. The reduced heritage boundary is lees than the property boundary, but is sufficient to maintain the heritage significance of the item. The reduced heritage curtilage is not appropriate with regard to the Land and Property Information Division Office, Queens Square Sydney. 5.6.3 Expanded Heritage Curtilage An expanded heritage curtilage may be required to protect the landscape setting of an item or its ‘visual catchment’. Other factors to consider when defining the expanded heritage curtilage may include:

• Views to and from the Land and Property Information Division Office • Where there may be a need for a buffer between the curtilage and

surrounding development • Where a visual and historical relationship exists between the item and

its environs. The Land and Property Information Division Office occupies a prominent location at the northern side of the intersection of Prince Albert Road, St Mary’s Road and College Street. The Building also forms an important visual element in the setting of Hyde Park Barracks when viewed from Macquarie Street and Queens Square, as well as other culturally significant buildings in Macquarie Street and St Mary’s Cathedral. These important views to and from the principal facades of the former Land Titles Office and its historic environs have been identified in section 5.5 of this report. The visual relationships between the LPINSW Building, other buildings in the historic precinct and significant trees and plantings should be maintained.


Figure 35 – The site of the Land and Property Information Office is legally defined as Lot 1863 of DP 1000001 and Lot 1864 of DP 1000002. The building is located within Lot 1863, while Lot 1864 of DP 1000002 forms part of the setting of the Land Property Office of New South Wales, but is maintained by the staff of the Royal Sydney Botanic Gardens.


Figure 36 –

5.6.4 Composite Heritage Curtilage This type of curtilage applies to heritage conservation areas and defines the boundaries of land required to identify and maintain the heritage significance of an historic district, village or suburban precinct. The Land and Property Information Division Office is located in proximity to the historic Macquarie Street precinct, and forms an important link between Macquarie Street and St Mary’s Cathedral. The historic nature of this precinct is recognised in Schedule 1 (Buildings and Sites Map) of the Central Sydney Heritage Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2000. It is recommended that the street frontage of the LPINSW Building be recognised as an historic streetscape linking the two identified in the Heritage Streetscape Map contained in the Central Sydney LEP 2000.


6.0 DEVELOPMENT OF CONSERVATION POLICY

6.1 Introduction This section summarises all of the information relevant to the development of a conservation policy for the LPINSW Queens Square Building, formerly the Land Titles Office. The development of an appropriate set of conservation policies for the building must include consideration of a number of key factors including: • Constraints and opportunities for the future use of the building and its

management arising from the statement of significance (Section 6.2) • Constraints and opportunities for the future use of the building and its

management arising from the Owners requirements (Section 6.3) • Constraints and opportunities for the future use of the building and its

management arising from the physical condition of the building (Section 6.4) • Constraints and opportunities for the use of the building and its future

management arising from statutory heritage requirements for the building (Section 6.5)

• Constraints and opportunities for the use of the building and its future

management arising from non-statutory heritage listings (Section 6.6) • Other statutory requirements (Section 6.7)

6.2 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from the Statement of Significance The Land Titles Office is of National cultural significance, as has been established by Section 5 of this report. The establishment of requirements for the retention of the identified cultural significance of the place is a practical and useful first step in the development of conservation policies. The requirements set out below have been developed from the Statement of Significance set out in Section 5.4 and the identified individual components and spaces of the building which are of exceptional significance, identified in Section 5.5.1 and drawn from the room inventories in Appendix 9.12. The future conservation and development of the place should follow the policies set out in Section 7 of this report which have been developed from the following guidelines to ensure the appropriate retention of the cultural significance of the place. The future conservation and development of the place should be carried out in accordance with the principles of the Australia ICOMOS Charter for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (Burra Charter, as revised in 1988). The statement of cultural significance (Section 5.4) and assessments of the significance of individual spaces and elements (Section 5.5) which has been tabulated from the inventories of individual spaces contained in Appendix 9.12,


should be accepted as one of the bases for future planning and work and guide decision making for the future management of the spaces and fabric of the Land Titles Office. The chief areas of significance, of the Land Titles Office, and the fabric contributing to these aspects of significance should be retained in a meaningful way as part of the ongoing maintenance of the building and any future development. In addition, the significant components of the architectural character and fabric of the place identified by this report need to be appropriately conserved. The approach and options recommended for the conservation of specific fabric, spaces, qualities and effects (in Sections 7 and 8) should be used as a guide to future work, the recommendations having been related to the principles of the Burra Charter. Decisions about works to the place, whether it be maintenance, repairs or more extensive adaptation works, must always take into account the impact on the significance of the place, both as a whole and on individual components. Rather than impose a blanket prohibition on change, the "constraint" imposed by this recommendation requires that specific account be taken of the conservation recommendations of this document. These are presented as guides to future work, and should be used as part of a coordinated approach that clearly identifies the full range of options available in each development situation.

6.3 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from the Owners Requirements Present continual use of the building by the department does not appear to present constraints however the requirement to retain the existing roof level extensions for office accommodation may eventually need to be reconsidered in the light of recommendations for their eventual removal. The attic uses of the building particularly for storage and workshops cannot continue and must be planned for removal. 6.3.1 Services Any additional or replacement services to the Land Titles Office will present both constraints on, and opportunities for, the maintenance of the building’s significance, including: • The installation of new services will generally involve the removal of existing

services, many of which have an intrusive and detrimental effect on both the appearance and condition of the building.

• The possible need in the future for a greater level of air-conditioning to

certain spaces requires account to be taken, in the design of the system (including duct sizing and location), of the need to avoid potentially detrimental impacts on significant fabric and spaces such as the major exterior facades, the entry foyers and main hallways and other spaces retained in near original condition; the need to accommodate a greater


amount of plant equipment than currently used must also take account of the impact on significant fabric and features in its location.

• The early ventilation system is of exceptional significance and needs to be

retained and interpreted in any future changes to the building.

6.4 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from the Physical Condition of the Building The physical condition of the building fabric is generally good due to ongoing maintenance and repair of the building. In addition, the majority of original external fabric remains intact and in good condition, which is a remarkable and rare opportunity to preserve and conserve this significant external fabric so as to retain the cultural significance of the building. 6.4.1 External Fabric The external facade of the building has been assessed as having exceptional significance and making a major contribution to the significance of the place and the College Street precinct. The majority of the fabric of the external facade is in good condition, and this fabric should be preserved and conserved to extend its life as long as possible, within a planned maintenance programme for the building. Replacement of original fabric should be sought only as a last option and the fabric of decorative pieces, such as the niche sculptures, should be preserved only.

Particular issues to be addressed by the policies include:

• Methods of stone and metalwork repair • Repair and replacement of the slate roofing and trims • Management of roof and surface water 6.4.2 Internal Fabric Unfortunately much of the internal fabric of the original building has been lost n previous alterations and additions and this has resulted in an overall loss of significance for this aspect of the building. The relatively low level of retention of original internal fabric means that opportunities exist for further adaptive reuse without significant further loss of heritage value. An attempt should be made to retain remnant open spaces that retain some level of their original character. In respect to the Records Wing of the building, a significant amount of original and early fabric remains intact and could be utilized in any future upgrading or adaptation of those spaces. An effort should be made to retain the general character of the remaining intact spaces in this portion of the building and to resist the temptation to introduce ‘fashionable’ internal fitouts that do not respect the original concept and details of the building. Particular issues to be addressed by the policies include: • Retention of significant material and spaces


• Effective fire protection and safety management issues • Refurbishment of toilet and other service areas particularly within the North

Wing • Provision of new services within the existing structure • Potential for subdivision or adaptive reuse 6.4.3 The Setting The structure of the setting of the building is substantially intact whilst the details and materials are of contemporary design. Continuing evolution of a setting for all of the significant structures in the precinct is considered to be appropriate subject to compatibility of materials and design elements. Particular issues to be addressed by the policies include: • Selection of compatible paving materials • Selection and management of appropriate vegetation • Design issues related to external lighting of the building • Design issues related to car parking and service access to the site

6.5 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from Statutory Heritage Requirements 6.5.1 Commonwealth Government Requirements The Australian Heritage Council maintains the following registers to protect heritage under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999:

• National Heritage List • Register of the National Estate

National Heritage List The National Heritage List lists places of outstanding heritage significance to Australia. New heritage legislation proclaimed in early 2004 incorporated heritage provisions into the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act). This report has assessed the cultural significance of the Land and Property Information Office Queens Square as being sufficient to warrant inclusion in the National Heritage List. Register of the National Estate The Register of the National Estate lists heritage items across Australia as well as those owned or managed by the Commonwealth Government. It is an important information resource and has an alerting role under the Commonwealth's amended Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Before the Minister takes any action, he/she must consider any place listed on the register. Inclusion on the Register of the National Estate of private, state of local government properties has no statutory force other than to control the actions of the Commonwealth. It does, however, increase the opportunities for funding


under Commonwealth and State funded heritage assistance schemes. As a general rule, Government buildings listed on this register, should be referred to the Australian Heritage Council when major work is contemplated or federal funding is involved, however there is no statutory obligation to comply. 6.5.2 New South Wales Government Requirements NSW State Heritage Register The Land and Property Information Office is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register. Listing on the State Heritage Register means that the heritage item:

• Is of particular importance to the people of NSW and enriches our understanding of our history and identity;

• Is legally protected as a heritage item under the NSW Heritage Act; • Requires approval from the Heritage Council of NSW for major changes;

and • Is eligible for financial incentives.

The Heritage Act 1977 provides automatic statutory protection for “relics” which prevent the excavation or disturbance of land for the purposes of discovering, exposing, or moving a relic not subject to a conservation instrument, except in accordance with an excavation permit. The term “relic” is defined under the Act as:

“any deposit, object or material evidence (a) which relates to the settlement of the area that encompasses

New South Wales, not being Aboriginal settlement; and (b) which is more than 50 years old.”

Land and Water Conservation Section 170 Register The Land and Property Information Queens Square Building is listed on the Section 170 Register compiled for the former Department of Land and Water Conservation (now within the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources). The NSW State Government requires agencies to identify, conserve and manage heritage assets owned, occupied or managed by that agency under Section 170 of the NSW Heritage Act 1977. S.170 Registers are submitted to the Heritage Council of NSW for endorsement. The Heritage Act 1977 (NSW) obliges government agencies to maintain their assets with due diligence in accordance with State-Owned Heritage Management Principles approved by the Minister on the advice of the Heritage Council and notified by the Minister to government instrumentalities from time to time. The Heritage Council may also issue Heritage Asset Management Guidelines with respect to the conservation of the items entered on registers under section 170 and items and land to which a listing on the State Heritage Register applies.


Archives Act 1960 and State Records Act 1998 The Land and Property Information Office is obliged, as a NSW Government Agency, to maintain records in keeping with the requirements of the Archives Act 1960 (until proclamation) and then the State Records Act 1998. There are no specific requirements under either Act that would affect the Land and Property Information building’s fabric or use. 6.5.3 Local Government Requirements Central Sydney Heritage Local Environmental Plan 2000 Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) are prepared by councils and shires, under the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, to protect heritage items. Heritage items are listed through a Heritage Schedule attached to the LEP. The Land and Property Information Office is included as a Schedule 1 item of the Central Sydney LEP 1992 - Conservation of Heritage Items. The College Street Group listed on Schedule 3 of the instrument (i.e. a heritage streetscape) and the building is a component of this streetscape. Work on the building is therefore subject to the provision of the Heritage LEP and a Development Application will be required for work to the building. Sydney City Council Archaeological Zoning Plan 1992 The site is zoned an Area of Archaeological Potential (AAP), and may be subject to archaeological investigation under the LEP [(Section 2-Conservation of Heritage Items, Part 9 (Archaeological Assessment)].

6.6 Constraints and Opportunities Arising from Non-Statutory Listings National Trust of Australia (NSW) The National Trust Register, maintained by the National Trust of Australia (NSW), is one of the most comprehensive of the non-statutory registers. It was first established nearly fifty years ago and is a reference for the compilation of statutory registers, particularly local government heritage studies. The Land and Property Information Office is ‘Classified’ by the National Trust of Australia (NSW). Listing by the National Trust of Australia (NSW) does not impose any statutory requirements on the building. The purpose of the National Trust Register is to alert responsible authorities, property owners and the public so that those concerned may adopt measures to preserve the special qualities that prompted the classification. It is generally recommended practice that substantial development proposals for classified buildings to be submitted to the National Trust Historic Buildings Advisory Panel for comment. Royal Australian Institute of Architects The Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ Register of 20th Century Buildings is an important resource in assessing the heritage of our own time.


6.7 Other Statutory Requirements Any changes in the use of the building may result in a need to upgrade certain facilities to meet such obligations as may be imposed by (insert council) council. Matters may be identified in this study that may require modification includes, but is not limited to, the following;

• Building Code of Australia • Fire safety requirements • Ingress and egress from the building • Disability access code.

The building is subjected to the requirements of the NSW Fire Board (fire protection and egress). Compliance with modern fire protection and egress requirements frequently presents problems for older buildings and the various less-than- sympathetic alterations to the significant character and fabric of the Land Titles Office over the past decades bears witness to this. With the modern practice of specifically designed “packages” of fire protection measures using fire-engineering principles, a greater flexibility of approach is possible. In this context it is vital that elements and attributes of exceptional significance be protected from alterations and other adverse impact as much as possible. Thus, for example, works on the entry foyers and main hallways (including the installation of fire hose reels) should be avoided as much as possible by appropriate relocation and/or alternative protection/egress procedures. In addition, existing “intrusive” fire protection measures should be removed as much as possible from areas of highest significance. Assistance in this area is available from the Fire Advisory Panel of the Heritage Council of NSW (comprising members of the Fire Board and others with technical expertise in this field). Fire egress is of prime importance and in this respect the facilities available within the building are sub standard. Particular issues to be addressed by the policies include: • Assessment of present compliance to fire and safety requirements • Assessment of compliance with BCA requirements • Procedures for decision making especially where heritage issues are

involved • Consideration of potential future adaptive reuses of their effect More generally new building works will need to comply with the Building Code of Australia, the requirements of Sydney City Council and any other relevant codes applicable to the particular facilities and functions of the building. As with the recommendations above regarding the provision of appropriate of fire protection measures it is vital that fabric and aspects of highest significance be protected as much as possible from removal or inappropriate alterations and intrusive additions when modifications and adaptation are being made to make the building comply with building codes and standards. Certain aspects of the building may be eligible for exemptions from the BCA where upgrading may result in the loss of heritage significance. These issues may be addressed directly with the relevant consent authority.


7.0 CONSERVATION POLICY AND GUIDELINES

7.1 Introduction The following general conservation policies are made as a guide to the care of Land and Property Information Office Queens Square so as to enable the quality and significance of the place to be retained, and where possible recovered, while maintaining the usefulness and viability of the building. The intention of the policies is to: • Retain the significant character and quality of the building and its various

elements; • Permit alterations, adaptations and new works which are compatible with

the above and which will make the place more effective in its principal intended use;

• Identify elements which adversely affect the place and which are in need of modification or removal;

• Provide an approach to the replacement of deteriorated fabric; • Draw attention to the need for coordination of the conservation needs of the

place both in the short term and over the longer life of the building with other functional and technical aspects and requirements for the place.

Discussion of the preliminary information necessary for the preparation of the conservation policies and recommendations is set out in Section 6.0 – Development of Conservation Policies. The treatment of existing component spaces, fabric and contents of the building should be in accordance with their assessed level of significance and generally as set out in the following table. The definition of terms set out below have the meaning given them in Australia ICOMOS Charter for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (Burra Charter) LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE

ACCEPTABLE ACTION

Exceptional significance Preservation, restoration or reconstruction. Adaptation in accordance with the Burra Charter guidelines may also be acceptable provided the change is compatible with retaining the overall significance of the place.

High significance Preservation, restoration or reconstruction. Adaptation in accordance with the Burra Charter guidelines may also be acceptable provided the change is compatible with retaining the overall significance of the place.

Moderate significance Preservation, restoration or reconstruction or adaptation to assist in ensuring the continual use and security of the building provided that no adverse effect is created to more significant fabric.

Little significance More radical adaptation treatment of fabric with some


significance may be acceptable to ensure the continual usability and security of the place as a whole.

Intrusive Modification or removal in order that the significance of the building is enhanced by reduction of adverse effect.

The significance of the Land and Property Information Building, Queen Square, is in part reliant on the character and quality of its surviving fabric. Wherever the issue of removing or altering significant fabric from its original form and location arises, a carefully considered study of the effects that such action will have on the overall significance of the place needs to be undertaken. Such an assessment will review the identified significance level of the part to be removed or altered, the impact that the action will have on the element itself and the resulting impact on the place as a whole. Constraints arising from the statement of significance shall aim to reduce any adverse effect to the place as a whole that may arise from the action. In general terms, an adverse effect on any item or aspect of greater significance may be permitted provided:

• It makes possible the recovery of aspects of greater significance, • It helps to secure the future security of the place, • There is no feasible alternative, and • Care is taken to minimise the adverse effect. • Recovery of original character of the building should be a high priority.

Such decision making shall be carried out in accord with the guidelines provided in Section 6. Constraints arising from the statement of significance, and shall aim to reduce any adverse affect to the place as a whole which may arise from the action. Components of significance which have been removed or altered in the past include much of the interior fabric and fit out, staircases, early service fittings and fixtures, original early joinery fittings and original loose furniture and objects, as well as the changes to the East and West wing roof ranges as previously discussed.

7.2 Policy Recommendations The following recommended policies are italicised. They are generally preceded by the information on which they are based. The policies should be read in conjunction with the associated notes, as this will make the context clear and aid interpretation. Alongside the policies are references to the related articles of the Burra Charter that concern the policy statement. The policies are addressed in the following order:

• Basis of approach • Conservation advice


• Future use of the place • Maintenance and repair • Removal of significant fabric • Treatment of exterior form and fabric • Adaptation and alteration of the interiors • Retention of interior character and quality • Individual spaces, fabric and issues • Setting

7.2.1 Basis of Approach

Policy 1.1 The future conservation and development of the place should be carried out in accordance with the principles of the Australian ICOMOS Charter for the conservation of places of cultural significance (Burra Charter) as revised in 1988.

Article 6 Policy 1.2 The statement of significance and schedule of significant spaces, fabric and elements in this plan together with any more detailed assessments of individual items should be adopted as a basis for future decision making, planning and work on the place.

Article 6 Policy 1.3

The recommended policies and options discussed in this document should be reviewed by both the NSW Land and Property Information Office and the steering committee for the project and, after any required adjustment, should be adopted by both bodies as a guide to future conservation and development of the place.

Article 26.1 Policy 1.4 Prior to the undertaking of any conservation, maintenance or upgrading

works on spaces or fabrics nominated in this Conservation Management Plan as having exceptional significance or significance, a Conservation Action Schedule shall be prepared which:

a) Verifies the assessment of Cultural Significance through detailed investigation, recording and evaluation by a conservation professional. b) Confirms the appropriate conservation policies applicable to the level of significance and the level of intervention proposed. c) Sets out a detailed comprehensive specification of conservation actions applicable to the situation based on the identified conservation policies of this plan. d) Is lodged with the Conservation Plan for future reference and review.

Article 6 Policy 1.5 Before any major works are undertaken review all available

documentary and physical evidence in order to guide effective conservation work.


Article 3.2 Policy 1.6

All work in the building shall be undertaken on the basis of known evidence. Conjecture guesswork or prejudiced decision making is not acceptable.

Article 2 Policy 1.7 Retention, enhancement and retrieval of the Cultural Significance of the

place should be adopted and implemented as opportunity arise, taking into consideration the changing needs of the building users.


An adopted procedure for coordinated planning and decision making for the place should be established between those occupying the building and any other bodies with responsibilities for its use or physical wellbeing. This procedure should ensure that decisions on development are made in the context of the use of the whole. The objective should be to make efficient and appropriate use of the spaces available, having regard also to their amenity and significance. The planning and decision making procedure may need to be reviewed periodically to ensure its continued ability to meet these objectives.

This plan and particularly the conservation policies may need adjustment to take into account discrepancies and unforseen circumstances, to clarify intentions or as a result of uncovered evidence.


This conservation plan shall be reviewed as the need arises but not later than January 2000.

7.2.2 Conservation Advice The character and quality of the building has been adversely affected by a number of alterations and additions. Examples include: • Removal of much of the original internal fit out; • Insertion of attic floors and associated mansard roofs to the East and West

Wings; • Application of pebblecrete to main eastern entry stairs. This conservation plan is a guide for the future care and management of the place but it will be relatively ineffective unless interpreted and implemented by persons with relevant conservation expertise. Appropriate conservation advice is necessary to ensure all development (including possible future changes of use, adaptation, alterations and additions, service installation/ upgrading, etc) is compatible with the significance of the place and its individual components. Similarly where technical advice is sought, or construction/repair works are carried out on, significant features or fabric of the building - eg. analysis of structural problems, repair of stonework, roof, etc - it is important to use


consultants and contractors with proven expertise in the relevant field of conservation-related work. Equally important is the continuity of conservation advice avoiding ad hoc decision making and inappropriate interpretation of these conservation policies.

Article 30 Policy 2.1 Relevant and experienced professional conservation advice should be provided for all conservation, adaptation and repair works proposals and programs throughout the building.


Consultant advice and contractual work on identified significant components or fabric should be limited to firms or persons with proven expertise in conservation-related projects in the relevant field.

Archival records; the Land and Property Information Office has been in the continual care of the NSW Department of Public Works since its erection in the 1870s and a considerable body of archival material relating to the building’s care and maintenance remain in that department’s files and archives. Additional pictorial material also exists in other collections that illustrate the development of the place.


A comprehensive collection of all relevant archival material should be copied and kept for reference by all persons having responsibility for aspects of conservation of the place. The material should be housed on site in a designated archive room. This should include, but not be limited to, the following: • copies of all extant archival plans, specifications and reports • copies of all photographic records of the place • a copy of this plan and any subsequent specialists reports • a copy of the asset management plan prepared for the place. • an itemised record of all future maintenance and conservation

works including documents and specifications • a record of decisions taken in respect to conservation issues. • a copy of any future asset management planning document

prepared for the place.

Article 25 Policy 2.4 An interpretive strategy should be prepared and implemented for the building by a specialist consultant as funding permits.


There shall be an ongoing commitment to make adequate financial resources available for the engagement of appropriate persons to provide experienced conservation advice when required.


Articles 16, 34 Policy 2.6 There shall be an ongoing commitment to make adequate financial resources available for the development and implementation of a planned maintenance program involving regular inspections testing and servicing or repair of significant fabric.

7.2.3 Future Use of the Building The Land and Property Information Office and its subsequent extensions were purpose designed and built as a government department office for the specific requirements of the Registrar Generals Department and has continued in that use for more than 80 years. Changes in functioning in the department over many years have resulted in an extensive process of internal extensions and adaptation to the detailed internal arrangement of the building, however, the basic spaces of the original layouts remain substantially intact, with the exception of the unsympathetic roof addition, much of the basic original fabric of the building is also intact. Whilst some specialised functions of the former Registrar General’s department are no longer represented in the building and other uses have been accommodated by a process of extension and internal adaptation, the building remains substantially intact. Adaptation for most uses other than open plan offices would result in some further loss of heritage significance for the interior of the building without necessarily affecting the external fabric and given the levels of identified significance this is considered acceptable. Opportunities for, and constraints on, the future development of the Land Titles Office, (discussed in Section 6.4) generally point up the need to make decisions for future change in the context of a coordinated plan for the whole building. Some of the problems presently exhibited by the building arise from past attempts to fit in increased or new accommodation and changing functions without adequate co-ordination or control.

Article 2.2 Policy 3.1 The policies set out in this document should be applied irrespective of the use to which the building is put.


The preferred use for the place is continued use of the buildings for uses associated with the Land and Property Information Office and its departments, to ensure the retention of the identified cultural heritage of the place especially those related to historic and cultural values.


In the event of a change of use or occupation of the buildings from the Land and Property Information Offices and its associated departments, compatible new uses should be evaluated to ensure that the identified cultural heritage significance of the place is retained.


Article 15.1 Policy 3.4 Proposed adaptation or uses that would require the introduction of particular services and/or structural alterations that would have a strong adverse effect on the character and/or heritage significance of the building are unacceptable.

Articles 7.1 Policy 3.5 & 7.2 Proposed changes of use to any part of the building should only be

considered in the context of a coordinated plan for the whole building.

A generally flexible approach may be taken to the use of most spaces within the building for facilities contributing to its overall function but the planning process should ensure that the building retains as much as possible of its identified significant character and early fabric.

7.2.4 Maintenance and repair Appropriate and prompt maintenance and repair is an essential component of the conservation of any significant place. Failure to carry out such works contribute to the deterioration of the fabric of the building and requires repair/replacement works which would have been either unnecessary or of considerably less impact had the appropriate maintenance been carried out. Maintenance and repair should be based on regular inspections and should address immediate, medium and long-term maintenance issues. Appropriately qualified tradespeople and supervisors are necessary to the successful carrying out of appropriate programmed maintenance and repair works, with care needing to be exercised at all times to ensure that significant fabric is protected and conserved.

Article 16 Policy 4.1 A planned cyclical maintenance and repair program should be instigated for the building based on a comprehensive understanding of the building’s use, character and materials with regular inspections and prompt appropriate preventative maintenance and repair when required.

Article 30 Policy 4.2 Consultants, tradespeople and supervisory staff should be appropriately qualified in their relevant fields and have knowledge and experience of sound conservation practices.


Care should be taken by both tradespeople and supervisory staff that significant fabric is not damaged by maintenance and repair activities.

Article 22.1 Policy 4.4 & 16 Services, including temporary services for building works, should not be

permitted to discharge liquids, gases or other substances in a way that will cause deterioration of the fabric of the place.


Article5.2 Policy 4.5 The appropriate level of significance of any part or element of the building shall be determined from this plan prior to determining the acceptable level of intervention or action appropriate. Before any major works are undertaken, review all available documentary and physical evidence in order to guide effective conservation work.

7.2.5 Removal of significant fabric Whenever the issue of removing original and significant fabric from its original location is raised this needs to be carefully considered in the context of the reasons for the removal, the impact on the significant element itself and the place as a whole. The guidelines for such decision making provided in Section 6.2. “Constraints arising from the Statement of Significance” should be applied in these situations, particularly 6.2.5 dealing with the conditions under which “an adverse effect on any item or aspect of significance may be permitted”. Components of early significant fabric removed from the Land and Property Information Office in the past include the original hydraulic lifts, early light fittings, joinery, contemporary furniture and equipment staircases and metal work. To ensure that exceptionally significant and significant items identified in this plan are maintained within their historic setting, these policies have been formulated to ensure that no movable item is removed from the building prior to the undertaking of a comprehensive study to identify the significance of the item and its significance to the place.

Article 17 Policy 5.1 Surviving building fabric and original contents of the building nominated in this Conservation Management Plan as being of exceptional significance shall not be removed, altered or in any other manner degraded.

Articles 5.2 Policy 5.2 & 15.3 Surviving building fabric and original contents of the building nominated

in this Conservation Management Plan as being of significance shall only be considered for removal or alteration where there is no appropriate alternative. Decisions regarding this action should take into account the use and significance of the place as a whole in evaluating alternative action and such evaluation will always involve appropriate input from conservation professionals experienced in the relevant area of expertise.


Where significant fabric is removed or altered a thorough recording of the original form and detail shall be made including its location within the structure. Removed items shall be labelled catalogued and stored safely against possible future reinstatement. The resulting records and catalogues shall be lodged with the Conservation Management Plan for future reference and review.


Articles 3, 5.2 Policy 5.4 15 & 33 Building fabric and contents that are identified in this plan as being

insignificant or of an intrusive nature may be removed altered or adapted provided that such action allows the potential for recovery of significance and does not damage surrounding original fabric.

7.2.6 Exterior of the building The external form and fabric of the building makes a major contribution to the significance of the place, with the external envelope being assessed as having exceptional significance. Previous action has been taken which affects the visual character of the building particularly at roof level and this has been detrimental both to the building and the surrounding precinct. At the present time proposals for alterations to the roof of the Records Wing are under consideration. These would also be detrimental to the visual character of the building and to the precinct of which it forms an important part.

Articles 8 & 21 Policy 6.1 The building should retain its overall form - including its layout and original roof configuration - with work to areas and components of greatest significance generally restricted to preservation, restoration and reconstruction. Proposed work that may have an adverse impact on the exterior form and qualities of the building are unacceptable.

Articles 8 & 21 Policy 6.2

Limited adaptation of the external fabric, which does not adversely affect the character or significance of the place as a whole, may be permitted in areas of lowest significance, or where not generally visible from the surrounding historic precincts.

7.2.7 Intrusive elements The preferred treatment of intrusive elements is removal or modification. Some intrusive elements may, however, be necessary to functioning of the place and action may be deferred until changes of use or technical advances make them redundant. Priority should, however, be given to the removal of exposed services, equipment and ductwork which detract from the original character or identified significance of significant and exceptionally significant spaces. In other situations the removal or modification of intrusive elements may be delayed by limited funding, or as other works are judged more important, but decisions about the priorities for such works should take into account the significance of the area and/or element affected. Removal of intrusive elements and any associated repairs (“making good”) of fabric should be carefully carried out so as not to cause unnecessary damage.


Article15.3 Policy 7.1 Intrusive elements should generally be removed or modified so as to remove or lessen their adverse effect on the significance of the building.

Article15.3 Policy 7.2

Removal or modification of intrusive elements may be deferred for technical or funding reasons but this should generally be restricted to areas of lower significance. In areas of high significance removal of intrusive elements should be given priority.

Article15.3 Policy 7.3 & 1.7 A long-term aim to remove the unsympathetic intrusive roof additions

and changes to the southern entry within a program of rationalisation for the whole building should be identified as a priority for conservation of the building.

7.2.8 Roof The original roof forms and materials are important elements of the architectural character, the slate cladding and associated trims are significant and should be retained and maintained.

Article 1.7 Policy 8.1 The original form of the roof should be retained and restored. Any repair, adaptation or replacement of material should retain the original qualities and profile. No further obtrusive elements shall be allowed to be constructed or placed at roof level on either building.

Article 1.7 Policy 8.2 & 8 Penetrations through and/or alterations to the roofs should be

minimised. Penetrations where required should be located as much as possible, so as not to project above the parapet when viewed from surrounding streets.

Slate Roofing A significant visual element of the building is the steeply pitched slate roof in each of the early wings. The insertion of the visually intrusive mansard roofs on the East and West wings has resulted in a major change in the appearance of the building and in the removal of much of the original roof fabric. Regular maintenance and repair of slate roofing and associated rainwater goods is essential to ensure the weather tightness of the building.

Article 16 Policy 8.3 Regular inspections of the slate roofing shall form part of the Asset Management maintenance program together with prompt maintenance of identified leaking flashings, valleys, base gutters, vain water heads and the like.


Article 4.2 Policy 8.4 Replacement roofing shall match the colour, texture and detail of the original work. Only first quality Purple Bangor slates shall be used to repair visible faces of the roof surfaces.

7.2.9 Stonework The stonework of the Lands Property Information Division Office building has been the subject of detailed investigation by the Public Works Department and has undergone several programs of repair patching and replacement including re-pointing work. An extensive program of stone repair was undertaken in 1996-1999, utilizing plastic stone repair as well as epoxy injection and natural stone replacement. Detailed documentation of this work exists in the Public Works files and a copy of this information should form the basis of an archival record to be established for future reference held in the property section of the land titles office. The stone used for the rusticated basement is Bowral trachyte and is exceptionally hard wearing and in excellent condition. The stone is cut with a rock face with dressed work to the basement window reveals and to a large chamfered plinth of Ground floor level. The stone used for the main load bearing external walls is Sydney ‘Yellow Block’ sandstone quarried from the Pyrmont Quarries and was erected by the well-known firm of Loveridge and Hudson. The stone is finely dressed to a smooth face finish and is relieved by restrained plate tracery and localized high relief decorative carving and by string-courses with decorative bosses. The quality of the individual carvings is exceptionally high with individual subjects of floral, heraldic and gothic detail. Many bosses include intertwined initials of persons associated with the building. Masonry detailing on the building is similar to that employed by Vernon at Sydney University, on the Fisher Library (now known as McLauren Hall) and the Anderson Stuart Building, but is generally more restrained and mechanical. The ’Tudor’ Perpendicular Gothic detailing incorporating many heraldic elements is indicative of Vernon’s extensive interest in the subject and his ability to convert that into convincing architectural ornament. All stonework on the building should be considered to be of significance to the overall character and heritage value of the place and should only receive specialist treatment in accordance with the policies identified in this conservation management plan. A list of stonework items identified as exceptionally significant is contained in Section 5.5.1 of this report. The structural adequacy and stability of the building is indicated by the lack of movement and cracking in the structure. Identified physical problems in the building and in the stonework are generally the result of inadequacy of water disposal from roof and balconies and from inadequate pointing of the facade jointing. These defects need to be addressed in the asset management


programme for regular maintenance, in accordance with a code of practice for stone repair to be prepared for the building.

Articles 2, 3 Policy 9.1 & 4 All external masonry should be retained intact and maintained and

appropriately conserved. Articles 16 Policy 9.2 & 34 A funded program of stonework repairs and ongoing maintenance

should be put in place to ensure the appropriate conservation of this significant fabric.

Articles 16 Policy 9.3 & 32 A detailed Code of Practice for stone repair should be prepared to guide

the continued care and maintenance of the Sydney Sandstone and Bowral Trachyte masonry components of the place and lodged in a building archive to be established on site in association with the property management section.


Stone components which require replacement or repair should be carried out in the same style and to the same form and profile as the original work, including all decorative items. Free interpretation of these elements is not acceptable in this instance.

Articles 27.2 Policy 9.5 32.1 A detailed condition report on the external carving and sculptural

elements should be undertaken and lodged with the building archive these elements should be monitored at 3 yearly intervals.


A detailed photographic record of all carved stonework elements should be prepared and catalogued for future reference and lodged with the building archive. This work should be carried out whilst the building is scaffolded for repair and should be executed by a professional photographer using archival quality materials.

7.2.10 External Metalwork Detailed wrought steel and decorative metalwork detailing on the Land and Property Information Office building is generally robust and in very good condition. The basement level security screens are of massive proportions with a heavy scrolled section supported on thick rods. The detail is more Italian Renaissance than Tudor or Gothic but sits well with the strong rustication of the basement plinth. More delicate detailed and decorative metalwork is to be found in the two principal entries comprising infills to the spandrels of the 3 centred Tudor arches and patent expanding metal gates below.


The original gate in the South entry has been removed and replaced with unsympathetic infill glazing. By comparison with the security grills the ventilation grills at the base of the walls are delicate Art Nouveau cast bronze panels similar to those utilized by Vernon on his other buildings especially at the University of Sydney. On each facade at parapet level elaborate Gothic styled copper rainwater heads allow roof water to be transmitted from the concealed box gutters to square copper down pipes attached to the building by decorative astragals with fleur de lis motifs. Contemporary cast metal light fittings have been attached to the stone fabric at several points but are not considered to be significant. Where original fittings have been lost efforts should be taken to recover original detailing and to reinstate elements of the early period. Several detailed cast suspension brackets associated with the former electric tram system which passed the building are evident on the South and West facades an are interesting remnants of a former period which should be preserved in situ. Bronze spandrel panels on the Records wing are also considered to have a level of significance to the place as a whole. A list of metalwork items of exceptional significance and significance is listed in Section 5.5 of this report.

Article 27.2 Policy 10.1 A detailed photographic record of wrought iron and copper details of the building should be made and lodged with the building archive for future reference.

Articles 3,4 Policy 10.2 & 16 A detailed Code of Practice for the maintenance and repair of wrought

iron and steel elements on the building should be prepared to guide continued care and maintenance of the elements.

Article 16 Policy 10.3 Regular inspection of metal work elements subject to rust or decay should be carried out to ensure prompt preventative maintenance and repair.

Article 4, Policy 10.4 18, 19 & 20 Further investigations into original or early metalwork details that have

been removed from the building should be undertaken to determine the appropriateness of reconstruction or restoration to recover cultural heritage significance.


Article 3 Policy 10.5 & 4.2 When replacing worn or damaged metalwork items on the building the

details and materials shall match the original work.

7.2.11 Fire Safety And Fire Protection Existing fire safety measures, particularly in the early wings of the building are inadequate and do not appear to meet the levels of safety determined by the Building Code of Australia, in respect of type of construction, fire escape routes fire stairs and early warning devices. The need to develop a strategy for all fire safety aspects of the Land Titles Office so that concessional compliance with present codes and regulations can be negotiated through Fire Engineering principles is an urgent priority. Issues that need to be addressed in respect of these issues are:

• Fire protection systems including fire alarm system and sprinklers • Emergency warning and intercommunication systems • Hydrant and hose reel systems • Fire egress and smoke containment

The inadequacies of the building in respect to fire safety issues include:

• Non isolation of fire egress stairs • Open stairs serving four levels • Combustible materials stored in roof spaces • Unclear escape routes • Composite construction including timber framing in some areas • Egress routes to outside of building inadequate in most instances

In approaching fire safety issues related to the building a fire engineering approach which recognises the heritage significance of the place needs to be applied such that:

• Highly populated areas are restricted to the lower levels of the building • Building occupants are given early warning in the event of a fire • Safe means of egress is provided particularly to upper floors • Fire resistant construction is addressed • Significant spaces and fabrics are conserved

To achieve these standards a fire engineering approach utilizing the experience of a specialist consultant will be required.

Articles 26 Policy 11.1 & 30 A fire safety strategy report and a Building Code of Australia non

compliance report shall be prepared for the building by a specialist consultant familiar with the problems associated with heritage structures and in negotiating fire engineering solutions acceptable to authorities to achieve concessional compliance.



The way in which attic and upper levels of the building are used, their subsequent fire load and numbers of people using them should be restricted by the requirements of fire safety, safe egress and long-term retention of the significant qualities of the building

Of high priority would be the removal of the attic level carpentry workshops and flammable liquids storage in roof spaces as well as the general removal of paper storage from timber framed areas at high level. Additionally electrical installations in these areas should be thoroughly checked and regularly maintained to avoid the possibility of fire risk.

Article 7 Policy 11.3 Combustible materials and workshop functions should not be housed in roof level spaces.

Article 7 Policy 11.4 Electrical and Mechanical equipment in roof voids should be enclosed or rendered safe to protect surrounding fabric from the risk of fire arising from operation or malfunctions.

Existing stairwells in the building do not comply with current standards and are generally not adequate for fire safety. Some attempt to introduce additional escape stairs and passages has been made in the past but the building does not appear to comply with the requirement for egress to the outside of the structure. Considering the public access that the building has and the numbers of people using the building this situation is unsatisfactory and requires urgent attention. Positions for the addition of new fire stairs may need to be located throughout the building to meet distance of travel requirements and safety egress. Care needs to be taken that new stairs are not intrusive to the general character or unduly interfere with significant spaces within the building.

Article 22.1 Policy 11.5 No external fire stairs should be constructed on the building and any new internal stairs should be located to avoid or to minimise damage to significant fabric or spaces.

Article 22.1 Policy 11.6 & 30 The main entry stairwells in the Southern Block and the Land Records

wing, and the timber stair leading to the attic workshops are of significance to the place and will require Fire Engineering solutions to meet Fire Safety standards.

Article 15.1 Policy 11.7 & 8 New fire egress routes should, if possible, exit outside the building fabric

without requiring new openings in the significant external fabric, by use of tunnels to the surrounding landscaped areas.


7.2.12 Windows and doors Doors: All original and early doors throughout the Land and Property Information Office are considered to be of exceptional significance and should therefore be treated with the highest level of care in their maintenance, repair and restoration. The significant fabric includes the door cases, architraves, highlights, hardware and associated fittings.

Articles 3.1 Policy 12.1 & 4.2 Door repair and reconstruction should be carried out in the manner and

to the details appropriate to the original design of the building. Original fabric should be retained wherever possible, however where original materials are unavailable, indistinguishable and durable facsimiles are acceptable.


Glazed doors with inappropriate glass should be reglazed with traditional glass details.

Articles 18, Policy 12.3 19 & 20 Inappropriate and obtrusive details and features already carried out in

respect to early and original doors should be removed and the elements restored or reconstructed to the original forms.

Articles 8 Policy 12.5 & 15 No new door openings should be made in the building in the external

fabric without considering the affect on the character of the original design.

Windows: Much of the fenestration on the Land and Property Information Office is of the original form material and finish, additionally much of the original glazing, hardware and associated fittings are still evident. All of the window fabric requires regular maintenance in terms of the repair and replacement. Where such work is carried out it should be done by experienced tradesmen with minimum interference with the original fabric.

Article 16 Policy 12.6 & 27.2 All metal-framed windows should be surveyed to determine their

condition and intactness of fittings and fixtures. A detailed report on all of the windows in each section of the building shall guide the future repair and maintenance of the windows.

Article 18, Policy 12.7 19 & 20 Where inappropriate or obtrusive details and features have been already

installed these should be removed and the elements restored or reconstructed to the original forms.



Regular inspections should be made of all windows to ensure prompt preventative maintenance and repair.

Articles 15.3, Policy 12.9 18, 19 & 20 Priority should be given to the sympathetic alteration of the Southern

entry to remove intrusive fabric and reinstate original design features. Article 18, Policy 12.10 19 & 20 Priority should be given to restoration of elements of the Western

entrance into the Records Wing of the building to their original form and finish.

7.2.13 Interior of the building Generally: The remnant internal layout and fabric of the building makes some contribution to the significance of the place. Surviving original fabric provides links with past activities and users of this place. Unlike the exterior of the building, the quality of some spaces in the interior is less significant than those of other areas and this allows a range of responses in their conservation and adaptation. In addition, much of the original fit out has been lost during later adaptation and refurbishment of the spaces. Adaptation & alteration of interiors: Previous discussion of the use of the building (Sections 6.4 & 7.2.3) highlighted the desirability of the building continuing to serve as the Land and Property Information Office. Future adaptation and alterations should generally seek to take account of, and as much as possible work within, the framework of original layouts/room configurations as well as, where appropriate, original functions. The following policies seek to establish a framework within which the retention of the significant interior character and qualities can be achieved as part of the conservation and adaptation of the building.

Article 14 Policy 13.1 & 15 The original spatial configuration of the building should be retained as

much as possible, particularly in areas of significance where this remains intact.

Article 5.2 Policy 13.2 The installation of new services should be carried out in a manner that minimises the impact on the significant character and fabric of the building.

Comparison of the existing spaces in the Land and Property Information Office with the original plans for the Building and known changes in function and use indicate that many of the building’s rooms and spaces have been substantially altered.


Articles 5.1 Policy 13.3 & 5.2 All of the fabric listed below designated to be of exceptional significance

and associated with the original building or a specifically identified later period or event shall be preserved or restored. Floors

• Tiled floor, Foyer, Ground Floor, Southern Wing • Structure of all early or original floors

Walls

• Structural wall fabric, original applied wall fabric, plaster, vents, columns, arches and other decorative elements.

• Original and early door and window positions and forms. Ceilings

• Remaining original coffered ceiling fabric, Public Space, Ground Floor, Western Wing

• Coffered ceilings and cornices, Foyer, Ground Floor, Southern Wing

Joinery

• Surviving original joinery doors and architraves, 3rd Floor, Eastern Wing

• Original window and doors within the Southern Wing arches, Ground Floor and entry to Eastern Wing from the Southern Wing, 3rd Floor

• Purpose built furniture from original and early periods of each wing of the building.

Stairs

• Original stairs, Southern Wing and associated fabric

Spaces of Significance: Articles 6, Policy 13.4 14 & 15 Surviving spaces within the building nominated in this Conservation

Management Plan as being significant shall be preserved, restored, or reconstructed as nearly as possible (allowing for contemporary use) to the state when the building was first occupied on completion. Adaptation of these spaces may also be an acceptable alternative where this will assist in the accommodation of new facilities and functions to allow the continued use and security of the building to be maintained where no viably alternative option can be identified.


All intrusive materials, elements, fabric and visible recent services which are judged to detract from the level of significance or to the general design intention shall be modified or removed.



Adaptation of significant spaces may occur where no other option is available to accommodate essential changes to the functional operation of the place. No further openings shall be made into visible external walls for any reason. Adaptation shall take into consideration the extent and quantity of significant fabric within the spaces with a view to avoiding damage.

Articles 17, Policy 13.7 18 & 19 All of the fabric listed below occurring in the spaces designated to be of

significance and associated with the original building or a specifically identified later period or event shall be preserved or restored in order to retrieve and reinforce the cultural significance of these spaces which in most instances are subsidiary to spaces of exceptional significance. Floors

• Structural fabric and floor finishes, Records Wing Walls

• Rendered skirtings • Wall finishes of the Records Wing, including rendered and

painted walls, face brick, mosaic tiles, marble facing, timber panelling and original petitions.

Ceilings

• Suspended ceilings and lighting, Records Wing Stairs

• Main circulation stair, Records Wing

Spaces of moderate or little significance: All of the spaces of moderate or little significance have undergone varying degrees of change, intrusion and adaptation and the character and quality of these spaces is generally of a lower standard than adjoining areas of higher significance. For this reason areas of moderate or little significance are more able to be adapted sympathetically without loss of significance to the place as a whole. New work carried out in areas of moderate or little significance should be of a reversible nature and should respect those areas of the original fabric that demonstrate the overall character of the building. Areas of moderate or little significance identified in this Conservation Management Plan have been individually evaluated in the inventory sheets for each level of each wing of the building (See Volume 2, Appendix 9.11).

Articles 17, Policy 13.8 18, 19, 20, All of the fabric in spaces identified as moderate or little significance 21 & 15 should be preserved, restored, reconstructed or adapted. Further

detailed investigation, recording and analysis of the fabric of all spaces will identify fabric and finishes that are intrusive, distort the historic evidence or have an adverse effect on the quality of the spaces.


7.2.14 Setting Any potential proposals for expansion of the curtilage of the former Hyde Park Barracks, for example, as identified in schemes for the reconstruction of portion of the southern perimeter walls and pavilions etc would have a significant impact on the main western facade of the Land and Property Information Office Building and would need to be carefully considered in relation to the anticipated benefits to the Barracks and any loss of visual amenity within the Queen’s Square precinct through disruption of the present balance of major elements. Changes to the surrounding road pattern and works associated with St Mary’s Cathedral will impact on the visual significance that the building enjoys.

Article 8 Policy 14.1 A high priority should be given to the investigation of design options for screening of the Hospital Road carparking area from the Domain.


Cooperation between the Land and Property Information Office and Hyde Park Barracks should extend to informed investigation of potential for future development of the western forecourt areas, however, no action which would compromise the setting of either historic site should be contemplated.


8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

8.1 Introduction This section provides recommendations on the way in which the policies contained in Section 7.0 may be implemented. Priorities are provided for the implementation of policies in order to guide future conservation works. Priority 1 Urgent works recommended to be carried out immediately. Priority 2 Works to be carried out within 12 months after the completion of

the Conservation Management Plan. Priority 3 Works to be carried out as part of a long-term conservation and

maintenance program or as recommended by the Facilities Maintenance Plan.

8.2 General Guidelines for Care, Use and Management of the building. Policies 1.1 - 5.4 of the previous section deal in some detail with;

• how the building could and should be used; • the need for a specifically structured and coordinated approach to

decision making about both the immediate works on the building - conservation, repair and possible adaptation, and its ongoing maintenance, adaptation and management;

• the need for cooperation between those responsible for the building generally, its users and appropriately qualified professionals including those with building conservation expertise;

• the need for appropriate and on-going maintenance and repair programme, to be determined by a Facilities Maintenance Plan for the building;

• the factors to be taken into account prior to the removal of significant original fabric from the place;

The policies in this group mainly deal with principals of approach and are therefore largely self-explanatory, while others are expanded on in the context of policies for specific components and/or fabric of the place. Those requiring specific action are set out below with guidelines and priorities for their implementation. Priority 1: The recommended policies and options of this Conservation Management Plan should be reviewed, adjusted as necessary and formally adopted by the steering committee and other relevant parties. The formal adoption of the plan may well be built into the document as a ‘Forward’ or in some other appropriate manner.

• A formal procedure for coordinated planning and decision-making should be established and implemented by the Department. Allowance


should also be made for formally obtaining advice from appropriately qualified and experienced conservation consultants for decisions affecting the significant fabric of the building. Where appropriate, provide LPINSW staff with training in heritage assessment and consent processes.

• The recommended archival source material should be brought together

in the building as a reference resource for further action.

• Any intended change of use of the building should be identified and evaluated in the light of the conservation policies to determine the appropriate level of adaptation compatible with the degree of significance of the place.

• LPINSW is to source recurrent funds to cover ongoing conservation

planning and maintenance of historic resources. Priority 2: A Facilities Maintenance Plan for the Land Titles Office should be prepared immediately following the completion of this report and should be formally implemented by being built into a specific programme and budget for the building. This plan should specifically identify all major components of the fabric - including exterior and interior elements and finishes, services, etc and provide a checklist of how these features are to be examined and what remedial works may need to be carried out. Areas of original fabric requiring particular attention include; • Continued monitoring of the sandstone • Continued monitoring roof level fabric to ensure the building is kept weather

tight, • Continued monitoring of the original decorative wrought iron work; • External painting • Other areas of particular concern which should be addressed by the plan

are; • Fire egress and fire protection and detection; • Future services installation and upgrading, including lighting, stormwater,

communications, hydraulics, air conditioning and electrical; • The timing of inspections of particular features should also be identified with

potential problem items checked more frequently. Equipment such as air conditioning plant and other services should be inspected in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer and/or as required by codes or other regulations.

Advice from qualified conservation practitioners regarding appropriate maintenance and repair works for significant elements and fabric - including the roof and stonework should be included in the Facilities and Maintenance Plan.


The survey of existing building fabric in Section 3 of this report generally identifies the major elements and current areas of deterioration and other problems. Further detailed recommendations on specific areas of fabric are included in Section 8.3 - Recommendations for Specific Conservation Works. Priority 3: An interpretive plan for the building should be commissioned and appropriate interpretive work undertaken.

8.3 Recommendations for Specific Conservation Works 8.3.1 Exterior of the Building The Statement of Significance and the Conservation Policies generally reflect the importance of the fabric of the exterior of the building and the consequent need to appropriately conserve the buildings major components and original fabric. Preservation of as much as possible for as long as possible of the existing fabric is both desirable and feasible. Implementation guidelines and priorities for the major policy recommendations (contained in Sections 7.2.6 - 7.2.12) for the exterior of the building are set out below. Priority 1: Roof: Strategies for ensuring the conservation of original fabric during the carrying out of the proposed roofworks should be considered in the Facilities Maintenance Plan. Works in the vicinity of the roof, for example, work on the sandstone parapet present a potential threat to the fabric of the roof and this should be identified and strategies devised to minimise potential damage. Detailed inspection of the condition of the existing roof fabric is the essential first step in determining appropriate conservation works and the extent of such work, particularly given the priority to preserve as much original fabric as possible. Stonework: All stonework should continue to be checked over to determine the locations, nature and extent of deteriorated fabric on a regular basis and a detailed schedule of stonework repairs prepared and updated according to the recommendations of the Facilities and Maintenance Plan. The priority is to preserve the original structural stonework to ensure the maximum possible extended life of the fabric. The priority should be to preserve the decorative original fabric in the best condition possible indefinitely and not replace banker masonry elements with copies. The causes of deterioration, such as exfoliation and surface staining should be investigated in each situation and the causes removed or lessened wherever


possible, according to the recommendations of the Facilities and Maintenance Plan. Metalwork: The priority is to preserve the original metalwork fabric in the best condition possible and extend its life as long as possible. Regular inspection of metalwork elements subject to rust or decay should be implemented. Fire Safety: A comprehensive fire strategy report examining the fire egress requirements and acceptable ways to meet the requirements while maintaining the identified cultural significance of the place should be undertaken by a specialist consultant. A Building Code of Australia non-compliance report should be prepared for the building by a specialist consultant. Priority 2: Any alterations to the roof level fabric for the installation of additional services such as lift, air conditioning etc should be executed sympathetically to the existing character and original fabric in accordance with the policies. Significant and/or badly deteriorated original components and fabric should be repaired, restored and/or reconstructed as part of the recommendations of the Facilities and Maintenance Plan. The major building elements to be conserved include: • The roof elements and material. • The stonework, including the structural stonework, parapet, decorative

features and sculptures. • The door and window joinery. • The decorative metalwork features. Priority 3: Long term consideration of modification or removal of the intrusive mansard roofs and skillion roofs should be considered as a priority, especially if a new use is identified for the building. 8.3.2 Interior of the Building The policies for the ‘retention of interior character and quality’ (13.1 - 14.2) generally set out the framework for the conservation of the significant interior character, fabric and components. Any proposed future alterations to the layout of the spaces, if framed within the appropriate policies, should retain both the most significant individual spaces and fabric. Priority 1: • The room inventories located in appendix 9.12 of this report should be

consulted and the recommendations adhered to prior to any alterations to any spaces within the building.


• All interior spaces should be recorded in accordance with the Guidelines for Recording Buildings of State Significance, published by the NSW Heritage Council prior to any removal of fabric or alterations to spaces of significance or exceptional significance.

• Detailed schedules of conservation works, as specified by the Facilities Maintenance Plan, should be prepared. General guidelines for such schedules include:

o The need to ensure that significant original fabric is preserved as much as possible including the ‘patina of age’;

o Repair techniques and details match the original as much as possible and be carried out in accordance with the policies set out in Section 7 of this report.

Services: The implementation recommendations in this section are generally concerned with procedures and strategies for introducing new services in a manner which minimises their impact on the significant character and fabric of the building as required by the conservation policy. Priority 1: Services should generally be confined to less significant areas and concealed where possible or housed in sympathetically mounted conduits, fittings, etc. Fittings such as fire hose reels should be located, if possible, away from the spaces identified as exceptionally significant or significant. 8.3.3 Setting The general aim of the conservation policies for the setting of the Land Titles Office is to reveal and complement the significance of the external facade of the building and the urban setting as much as is possible within the scope of this report. Policies outlined in Section 7.2.15 set out the main requirements for the retention and enhancement of the contribution the Land Titles Office makes to the character and ambience of College Street, Queen’s Square and the surrounding area. Any major urban proposals should be preceded by a conservation study of the precinct in order to ensure that future development enhances the urban and heritage qualities of the area. A study of the Land Titles Office carpark area and surrounding landscaping adjacent to Art Gallery Road should be undertaken with a view to reducing the impact of this area on the general setting of the building.

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY REVISED ISSUE AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc 112

9.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY

9.1 Books, Reports, Monographs Robert Crundwell, Hilary Golder and Robert Wood From Parchments to Passwords A History of the Land Titles Office of New South Wales Hale and Iremonger. 1995. NSW Department of Public Works Annual Reports 1860 - 1993. NSW Department of Public Works and Heritage Council of NSW Historic Buildings in Sydney Government Printer. ND. Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works Inquiry into Office Accommodation for Registrar General’s Department 1908 NSW Parliamentary Papers 1908 Volume I Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works General Report on Proposed Public Works Inquired into by Committee 1908 NSW Parliamentary Papers 1913 Volume 2 Correspondence, Files Proposed Rifle Range Registrar General’s Office 1984 Australian Archives (Victoria) MP 367/1 Item 577/3/98 Lift Inspection and Maintenance RG File 13M.8141A War Precautions RG File 39M.10242

9.2 News and Journal Articles “Land Titles Office” Sydney Morning Herald 19 July 1913., 7 “Public Service Praised by Premier” Sydney Morning Herald 6 November 1956., 7 “A Magnificent Structure The Offices of the Registrar General Hyde Park Sydney” Building 12 June 1913., 56ff “The Registrar General’s Office Sydney”

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN: LPINSW QUEENS SQUARE BUILDING, SYDNEY REVISED ISSUE AUGUST 2004 NOEL BELL, RIDLEY SMITH & PARTNERS ARCHITECTS D:\Documents and Settings\nforbes\Desktop\cmp.doc 113

Building 12 August 1919., 51ff

9.3 Maps and Plans Design for Allotments in Hyde Park in Lieu of those in the Convict Garden SAONSW AO Map 5450 Water Sewerage and Drainage Board of Sydney Trigonometrical Survey of Sydney 1865. NSW Department of Lands Metropolitan Detail Series Portion 50; 1886 ML M Series M4 811/17/1 Council of the City of Sydney Civic Survey. 1949. NSW Department of Public Works Plan Archives - Architectural: Registrar General’s Building

9.4 Graphics Images of Registrar General’s Building, Land Titles Office Government Printer Collection. ML

9.5 Internet Sources NSW Land and Property Information Division. http://www.lpi.nsw.gov.au/ NSW State Heritage Office. http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/index.html

http://www.lpi.nsw.gov.au/

http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/index.html