Decision details

Moved by Councillor Phelps, seconded by Councillor Forster -

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         since its construction in 1939 the Metro Cinema building (formerly the Minerva Theatre) has been an architectural and cultural icon of Kings Cross, Sydney and Australia;

(ii)        the Metro Cinema’s distinctive art deco design is unique in character and has been afforded heritage protection under Clause 5.10 (Heritage conservation) of the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012 and through provisions in Section 3.9 of the Sydney Development Control Plan 2012;

(iii)      the architect, Charles Bruce Dellit, also designed the NSW Anzac War Memorial in Hyde Park;

(iv)      the particular success of the production of the musical 'Hair', which ran at capacity for two years from 1969, promoted by Harry M Miller and starring Keith Glass, Reg Livermore and John Waters;

(v)       in 1982, production company Kennedy-Miller acquired the theatre which has since been used as a studio for the production of film and television, including internationally acclaimed movies Mad Max (1979), Babe (1995) and Happy Feet (2006);

(vi)      the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012, Sydney Development Control Plans and classification of local heritage status have failed to protect some buildings from destruction and non-compliant development applications; and

(vii)     Sydney-siders are looking to Council to provide leadership in matters of heritage and development; and

(B)      the Chief Executive Officer be requested to immediately commence the process to have the Metro Cinema listed on the NSW State Heritage Register, particularly citing that the building:

(i)         is important in the course, or pattern, of NSW's cultural or natural history;

(ii)        has strong or special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in NSW's cultural or natural history; and

(iii)      is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in NSW.

Note. The above motion was not carried. The resolution as follows was carried.

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         since its construction in 1939 the Metro Cinema building (formerly the Minerva Theatre) has been an architectural and cultural icon of Kings Cross, Sydney and Australia;

(ii)        the Metro Cinema's distinctive art deco design is a better quality example typical of the era and has been afforded heritage protection under Clause 5.10 (Heritage conservation) of the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012 and through provisions in Section 3.9 of the Sydney Development Control Plan 2012;

(iii)      the architect, Charles Bruce Dellit, also designed the NSW Anzac War memorial in Hyde Park;

(iv)      the particular success of the production of the musical 'Hair' which ran at capacity for two years from 1969, promoted by Harry M Miller and starring Keith Glass, Reg Livermore and John Waters;

(v)       in 1982, production company Kennedy-Miller acquired the theatre which has since been used as a studio for the production of film and television, including internationally acclaimed movies Mad Max (1979), Babe (1995) and Happy Feet (2006); and

(vi)      Sydney-siders are looking to Council to provide leadership in matters of heritage and development; and

(B)      the Chief Executive officer be requested to investigate whether the Metro Cinema meets the thresholds for listing on the NSW State Heritage Register and, if appropriate, commence the process, noting that the building potentially:

(i)         is important in the course, or pattern of NSW's cultural or natural history;

(ii)        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; and

(iii)      is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement ins NSW.

Carried unanimously.

Note - Councillor Phelps tabled a Petition for State Heritage Listing of the Metro Cinema, Kings Cross (containing 82 signatures), and a letter from the Art Deco and Modernism Society of Australia, supporting the nomination of the Metro Cinema to the NSW Heritage Register.

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