The Board and members of St George Greek Orthodox Church in Rose Bay, eastern Sydney have opposed Woollahra Council’s proposal to list the religious site for heritage protection, The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) has reported.
At a council meeting on Monday night, Residents First Woollahra councillor Luise Elsing said heritage protection was the Council’s “last line of defence” from overdevelopment in the area.
According to the SMH, the Council has recently pursed a wave of new heritage listings including a number of commercial sites in Double Bay such as the Royal Oak Hotel and Cooper’s Corner.
Woollahra councillors unanimously voted on Monday to give heritage protection to the Double Bay properties, but were divided on what to do with St George Rose Bay.
Board President of St George Rose Bay, Spero Raissis, told the council meeting the parish was against the heritage listing because the building was “nothing remarkable” and it would stop their growth.
Mr Raissis also said a heritage listing would “be against our faith” as religious doctrine meant that if the church ever moved or closed down, the building would need to be demolished.
Whilst the council did not immediately move to put St George Rose Bay on the heritage register, it voted to conduct further investigations.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.
READ MORE: Volunteers from St George Greek Orthodox Church in Rose Bay gather to cook for the homeless.
