Church Files $39m Plans for Sydney Cathedral Precinct

Plans have been filed to transform a car park into a six-storey chancery building for one of Australia’s oldest cathedrals. 

The site, at 2 St Marys Road, is part of the heritage-listed Gothic Revival-style St Mary’s Cathedral. 

After a four-year development process in collaboration with Heritage NSW, the NSW Heritage Council and the City of Sydney Council, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney has submitted a development application.

The proposed Chancer Building would provide office accommodation for the Archdiocese and support functions of the parish. 

It would also include a public cafe and book shop. 

Office functions have previously been served off-site. The $39-million development would unite these functions back into one site, according to the development application.

On-site car site parking would still be available on the site—under the adjoining Cathedral House.

The central Sydney site dates back to the early 19th century, and is described as the oldest place maintained as a site for Catholic worship in Australia.

▲ Inside St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney.

St Mary’s Cathedral was dedicated in 1836 by one of the first two officially appointed Catholic priests in the colony of New South Wales. It was rebuilt after a fire destroyed the buildings in 1865.

The latest plans, designed by Angelo Candalepas and Associates, “provides a proportionate and respectful transition and inter-relationship between the State Heritage listed St Mary’s Cathedral and Chapter Hall buildings” according to the Archdiocese.

The overall St Mary’s Cathedral Precinct totals 15,947sq m, with Hyde Park to the west, and it is close to the historic government Macquarie Street East Precinct, for which redevelopment funding was approved last year.