Leichhardt street art and cottages

Jamie and Greens councillors have welcomed the Inner West Council's decision to overturn the plan to demolish two heritage cottages in Leichhardt featuring important street art.

At their meeting on Tuesday night the Inner West Council passed a Greens motion to stop the demolition, despite opposition from Labor Councillors.

The Federation cottages, on Marion Street Leichhardt were slated to be demolished to make way for parking spaces – mostly for council staff. The cost of the demolition had an allocated budget of $300,000.

Jamie Parker MP said:

“I’m very happy that common sense has prevailed and that Council carried the Greens motion to rescind this decision.

If Council has $300,000 to spend, they should not spend it knocking down 100 year old buildings with such wonderful art works on them, all just for a couple of parking spaces.

These fantastic buildings have been there for over 100 years, and the artist behind the paintings on them has been exhibited in the National Gallery and in the Parliament of NSW.

The street art on the other side of the building is actually used on the Council website and features prominently in much of their own material. It was a great win in the campaign to protect housing and important buildings from development.

To demolish the buildings and destroy these artworks would have been a terrible waste, and it’s disappointing that the Labor councillors supported this.”

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Mike Hawthorn commented 2018-02-16 17:08:08 +1100
Two very small car parks service a school of 1,000 children. The artwork wall could have been saved, which was not completed by the “famous” artist you mention – he did the hands on the front. As for the buildings themselves, they are in need of restoration, which would cost $100,000 more then the demolition and car park build. There is in fact plenty of vacant space in Leichhardt and other locations available for a youth events, gallery or exhibition space. Currently there are 164 commercial properties for lease in leichhardt alone!

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