Home Property Australia New life for historic Newcastle Station

New life for historic Newcastle Station

  • February 09, 2015

New life for historic Newcastle StationNSW Planning Minister Pru Goward announced at the recent Property Council’s Hunter Outlook ’15 event that the historic Newcastle Railway Station in the centre of the city will be preserved and converted into a landmark regional market space.Property Council of Australia NSW Regional Director – Hunter, Andrew Fletcher, said the city was home to some of the best examples of late 19th century architecture in Australia and it was worth protecting for future generations.”We have a clear policy which supports retaining Newcastle’s heritage assets as a way to preserve the city’s distinctive character while developing new precincts,” he said.”It was a cornerstone of our submission to government when the Newcastle Urban Renewal Strategy was first released in 2012. “There are some fantastic examples about town, such as the Newcastle Museum, where heritage buildings have been adapted for modern purposes. “Over the past 18 months we’ve seen the private sector invest heavily in restoring some of the historic East End’s heritage buildings, which were crumbling eyesores.”Fletcher cited the new Peniche Apartments development, which included the restoration of the old National Bank of Australasia building, and the Wren Apartments’ refurbishment of the building’s Art Deco facade as examples.”To have the state government now make a commitment to transforming Newcastle Station into a vibrant and bustling inner city market, while preserving all the character of the 18s, is a great day for the city. It has the potential to showcase the Hunter’s best fresh produce, including our world-renowned wines, and be a real focal point for the community.”Fletcher also applauded the government’s community consultation process, known as Design Newcastle, which led to the initiative.”It proves the government has faith in the people of Newcastle to control their own destiny.”He said applying the principles of Design Newcastle to the next phase of planning, including future uses for the heavy rail corridor, would have the full support of industry.Click here to view media coverage of the announcement: