HUGE CIVIC CENTRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 134, 8 June 1926, Page 16

HUGE CIVIC CENTRE.

SYDNEY LORD MAYOR'S

SCHEME.

WOTJXD COST «542,000,

CENTRALISING CHURCHES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 3

A huge scheme for the provision of a civic centre in Sydney, consequent on the removal of St. Andrew's Cathedral from its present site in George Street, to make way for the Town Hall station of the city railway, has been suggested by the Lord Mayor, and is now being ho'tlv discussed in Sydney. The Town Hall. St. Andrew's Cathedral and the Baptist Church are at present occupying a large block bounded by George Street, Bathurst Street, Kent Street and Druit Street.

To complete the building of the Town Hall station of the city railway it will be necessary to use the space now occupied by St. Andrew's Cathedral, Anglican headquarters in Sydney, and the Lord Mayor suggests that properties on the opposite side of Bathurst Street should be resumed. Of the resumption, the Cathedral, it is suggested, should •take frontages to George Street, Kent Street and Bathurst Street, the Baptist Church to have a smaller frontage to Kent Street and George Street, and to face a new street, to be made if the scheme is acceptable. A further proposal is that the St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church trustees should forego their claim for the corner site in the new Martin Place and Phillip Street, and transfer to the George Street area adjoining the New St. Andrew's Cathedral. In the space between the proposed sites of the three churches mentioned. the Lord Mayor proposes a central church hall and offices to be used conjointly by the three churches. According to figures submitted by the city assessor, the total cost of carrying out the resumptions of the block necessary for the churches scheme would be £600,000, and £50,000 for business disturbance. Against this sum must be credited the £50,000 for payment to St. Stephen's Church trustees for their property in Phillip Street, and £38,000 sanctioned for the' resumption of the present Baptist Church. The value of the residue block is £20,000, which leaves the net cost of the scheme as £542.000.

It is proposed to transfer the Cathedral to the new site by making a treaty between the Council and the Cathedral authorities. The Premier has already promised the Cathedral £.500.000 towards a new Cathedral.

This scheme, the Lord Mayor claims, would enable part of the block vacated by the churches to be taken in by the Council, on which they could provide all the offices necessary to a huge civic centre. So far the scheme has met with little encouragement, and a canvass of the various church authorities concerned shows that they are uncompromisingly against it.