Special Character Areas

1 - Special Character Areas

Special Character Areas

All Saints Cemetery Special Character Area

The growth of Parramatta outside its early colonial township saw the building of a second Church of England in the 1840s — that of All Saints — constructed as a memorial to Samual Marsden, on land which he had given. Land to the north was set aside as the burial ground for the church and the first rector, William Gore, built his house, Endrim in Sorrell Street. From the north-east corner of All Saint burial ground, the spire of All Saints and the trees of Endrim are clearly visible.

The burial ground was known as the Protestant Burial Ground. It contains burials from the 1840s up to the present day. The majority of its monuments, however, date from the 1850s — when it was possibly the alternative to St John's Cemetery in O'Connell Street, which by then was quite full — until the 1870s, when Rookwood became the major burial ground for Sydney.

Development around the cemetery came as Parramatta grew to the east. The first land to be subdivided for suburban development was the better drained, higher land to the east of the site, along Short and Buller Streets. This subdivision, with its characteristic late nineteenth century subdivision pattern of narrow lots and back land for night soil disposal, is remarkably different from all other subdivisions in the area. This subdivision is almost completely intact and contains most of its original houses, built gradually from the later part of the nineteenth century to the 1930s.

Later twentieth century development around the cemetery has continued the low scale residential character of the earlier Short Street development, although with wider allotments and greater garden space between houses. The result today is a remarkably intact single storey residential enclosure of an early Parramatta burial ground, which with the landscape of the cemetery itself provides a very special rural/residential precinct near the heart of a large city.

Character of the area

  • gently sloping land, falling from a small but prominent knoll in the north-east corner down to the creeks beyond the southern and western boundaries of the precinct
  • the quiet residential character of the precinct is provided by its enclosure/framing by individual, low-scale residential buildings and their gardens and trees, and its border on three sides by residential roads
  • buildings address the cemetery and provide a sense of enclosure
  • a consistency in the character of the buildings, particularly in their single storey scale and limited range of building materials
  • the nineteenth century subdivision and development pattern along Short Street, which strengthens the nineteenth century character of the precinct
  • the landscape of the cemetery itself is rural in character, most of it an open area with mown grasses, remnant native vegetation and little evidence of deliberate plantings except around parts of the perimeter
  • the historic relationship between the cemetery, its church — All Saints — and rectory — Endrim, 54 Sorrell Street — remain, and can be observed, particularly from the north-east corner of cemetery
  • perimeter cemetery fence remains along backs of houses facing Albert Street, and remnant of sandstone wall and gateway stands along the Fennell Street alignment
  • an almost continuous sandstone kerb and gutter down Short Street

Approach to planning controls

Council's planning policies for this area are directed towards ensuring that development is consistent with the existing 'edge of town' character of the area. The main elements of that character are the nineteenth century subdivision and early houses along Short and Buller Streets, and low-scale development around the perimeter of the cemetery. The policies acknowledge the higher density development on land west of Brickfield Street, and seeks to provide a transitional zone between that and the open space of the cemetery through dense but low-scale residential development, similar in character to the early development in Short Street.

1. General objectives
  • keep and reinforce all the attributes that contribute to the heritage significance of the cemetery and its setting
  • maintain the rural village character and quiet residential amenity of the precinct
  • retain the existing consistency in the scale and building materials in the precinct
  • maintain the special character of this area and the marked difference between it and the adjoining flat zones
2. Particular objectives and controls
2.1 Subdivision pattern
  • maintain all the evidence of the nineteenth century subdivision and development pattern along Short Street
  • maintain the subdivision and development pattern for the three houses adjoining the cemetery fronting Albert Street, and the space and mature tree plantings this allows between buildings and the cemetery
  • maintain the subdivision and development pattern for the houses facing Fennell Street, and the space this allows for mature tree planting and Landscaping
  • encourage resubdivision and amalgamation along Brickfield Street to provide new development having the appearance of separate houses, such as town houses, facing the cemetery
Keep:
  • existing subdivision pattern along Short and Buller Streets
  • existing subdivision pattern for allotments facing Albert Street
Allow:
  • subdivision of No 16 Short Street, if desired, to provide one only allotment beside house at No 18
  • resubdivision of allotments fronting Brickfield Street, but only where the subdivision runs parallel to the east/west boundary line
Avoid:
  • amalgamation of any allotments facing Short, Buller or Albert Streets
  • any building constructed across an allotment boundary in Short, Buller or Albert Streets
2.2 Existing buildings and structures
  • keep all buildings and other structures that individually and together contribute to an understanding of the history and character of this precinct
Keep:
  • all stone kerbs and gutters in Short Street
  • metal and concrete fence on northern boundary of cemetery
Avoid:
  • further vehicle crossings over sandstone kerb and gutter in Short Street, rear lane access only
  • buildings to primary street frontage that face directly towards the cemetery
2.3 Garages
  • maintain uncluttered space between building line and front fence as an important part of character of precinct
  • maintain the fence line of Short and Buller Streets unaffected by driveway openings
  • ensure new garaging and car parking do not intrude upon existing character of the precinct
Require:
  • garages and carports to be sited at least one metre behind the front wall of a residential building
  • unobtrusive siting and design of all new garaging
  • driveways made of concrete, bitumen, gravel, dark bricks or other nonintrusive materials, which do not continue over the footpath space. Wheel tracks with central grass/planting are preferred to fully paved driveway space
Avoid:
  • new driveways, garages or carports with access to Short Street or Buller Street, use lane access only
  • basement communal car parking opening directly onto the street
2.4 Fences
  • maintain the character of area, where houses face and enclose the cemetery over low fences
  • maintain existing street amenity and safety by the continued use of light weight front fences which allow each garden to be viewed from the street, and allow each house to view the street and cemetery
  • keep rear boundary fence at Nos 41, 43 and 45 Albert Street
Consider:
  • the use of square topped picket fences painted in light colours, eventually for all properties facing the cemetery, to reinforce a cohesive sense of enclosure
Avoid:
  • fence openings for car access in excess of three metres
3. Short and Buller Streets
  • maintain visual importance of existing historic buildings and other structures
  • allow detached dual occupancy to rear access lane
  • keep the consistency of siting, scale, shape and materials in new work and in extensions to existing buildings so that it does not detract from historic buildings in the precinct, or from the street’s visual cohesiveness and amenity
3.1 Extensions to existing buildings
  • use linked pavilions under separate roof, or skillion extensions to back of house
  • use same material as the existing house, or lighter weight materials, such as painted timber, fibro, iron or imitation timber cladding
Avoid:
  • additions higher than ridge of existing house
  • additions to front or side of house
  • extra rooms above existing main body of house requiring alteration of existing roof shape
  • windows or skylights facing Short Street
3.2 New buildings facing these streets
Keep:
  • front setbacks to match those of adjoining early houses, free of structures or paving
  • maximum height of one storey to match scale of existing historic buildings
  • roofs with a form and pitch similar to neighbouring buildings. Rooms in the roof may be considered, but with no windows facing Short Street
  • consistency of building materials — face or common bricks or painted timber, with tile or corrugated iron roofs. Back rooms may be built in lighter weight materials, such as fibro, imitation timber cladding or corrugated iron
Encourage:
  • reinstatement of sandstone kerbs and gutters where lost to vehicular driveways — car access to be provided from rear lane
Avoid:
  • attached dual occupancy, except where it can be accommodated in modest addition at rear of house and within garden space requirements
  • new buildings constructed side boundary to side boundary
  • buildings that are more than one storey in wall height
  • dormer windows or the like facing Short or Buller Streets
  • plastered or painted brickwork, or hearted, speckled, multicoloured or textured bricks in light colours
  • imitation slate or obtrusively coloured roof cladding
3.3 Dual occupancy facing rear lane
Allow:
  • detached dual occupancy to face rear lane
  • detached dual occupancy to be built facing the laneway, but only where it strictly complies with:
    • minimum three metre total side boundary setbacks, either divided along both sides of the new building or along one side boundary only. The side setback area, if three metres or more and fully landscaped, can be included in the garden space calculations
    • new building to be setback one metre from existing lane alignment. Except for driveway area, the setback area is to be fully landscaped
    • garaging for one car only
    • three metre maximum width for driveway access to rear lane
    • maximum wall height for new building of 5.7 metres
    • roof pitch similar to neighbouring buildings
    • building materials of either unpainted or unplastered face bricks or commons, or of painted timber or other light weight materials, such as imitation timber cladding and fibro
    • light weight roofing materials, such as corrugated iron or colorbond
4. Brickfield Street
4.1 New buildings
  • reinforce low scale, village-like enclosure of cemetery
  • encourage townhouse or similar development that is within general scale of existing development around the cemetery, which appears like separate houses and reflects pattern and shape of houses in Short Street
  • retain street edge largely unencumbered with driveway access points
  • strict compliance with the requirements of this plan allows a minimum setback of two metres from street alignment; any other form of development will require a 12 metre setback
Allow:
  • minimum front setback of two metres, but only where development strictly complies with the requirements of this plan
  • construction to side boundaries providing sufficient light and air can be obtained through front and back walls
  • garages and carports to rear garden only, with access from side streets. Amalgamation might be necessary to achieve this. Where redevelopment of allotments without access to side streets is prohibited by earlier development of adjoining allotments, car access from Brickfield Street can be allowed but only where it is obtained using an existing street crossing
  • three metre maximum width for car access driveway
  • re-establishment of sharp profile kerb and gutters to replace driveways where possible
  • new building to a maximum wall height of six metres above the level of the footpath in Brickfield Street
  • verandahs at ground floor level
  • walls of unpainted face bricks or commons, tiled or corrugated iron roofs
Avoid:
  • buildings which do not address Brickfield Street
  • garaging visible from street
  • balconies protruding beyond wall of building, except for verandahs at ground level
  • light painted or plastered walls or hearted, speckled, multicoloured or textured bricks in light colours
  • limitation slate or obtrusively coloured roofing materials
5. New buildings facing Fennell Street
  • reinforce low scale, village-like enclosure of cemetery
  • encourage development that is within the general scale of existing development around the cemetery, but maintains the character of freestanding buildings on individual lots of land, separated from each other and from the street by side and front garden space
Require:
  • minimum front setbacks of six metres to be landscaped with trees, garden and lawn
  • maximum wall height of building not exceeding six metres above level of footpath in Fennell Street
  • combined side setbacks for each allotment to be no less than five metres, which, apart from access drive, is to be landscaped with trees, garden and lawn
  • maximum three metres width for driveway and vehicular entrance
  • buildings to address Fennell Street
Avoid:
  • car access wider than three metres
  • garaging other than a single car garage which is visible from the street
6. New buildings facing Albert Street
  • keep space between and behind buildings so that the existing character of trees and open gardens on the crest of hill can be maintained as the northern backdrop to cemetery
  • maintain existing character of development, of freestanding houses on individual allotments separated by garden space and landscaping
Require:
  • minimum front setbacks of six metres to be landscaped with trees, garden and lawn
  • maximum wall height of building not exceeding 5.7 metres
  • combined side setbacks for each allotment to be no less than eight metres, which, apart from access drive, is to be landscaped with trees, garden and lawn
  • maximum three metres width for driveway and entrance
  • maximum two driveways per existing allotment
  • sufficient space in the back garden to allow for the growth and maintenance of large mature trees
Avoid:
  • buildings which do not address Albert Street
  • garaging other than a single car garage, which is visible from the street
  • side and front setbacks containing structures or paving, other than single driveway area

Map 4: All Saints Cemetery SCA.

PDF download Map 4: All Saints Cemetery SCA. (336kb)