With reference to the recent demolition of the two cottages which made up 2 and 4 Station Road, Sydenham we would like to register on behalf of the local community our utter disgust at this wanton act of historical destruction.
Given the fact that these fine cottages were the last remaining properties of the much larger estate belonging to Gustav Wolff known as “The Den” makes this decision even more absurd.
These cottages were fine examples of period architecture in their own right but coupled with their link to the man who co-founded the world’s most famous shipyard, builders of the world’s most infamous ship, makes it simply beyond the bounds of comprehension to the residents of this area that three years before the Centenary of the sinking of that great ship, that they should be erased from our midst never to return.
Indeed regardless of any link to Gustav Wolff, these Cottages should have been protected as fine examples of our architectural heritage for future generations to enjoy.
We are at a loss, to begin to try and understand the thinking behind such a grossly misjudged decision.
With the Centenary fast approaching, a Titanic Signature project is underway at the Harland & Wolff site to commemorate that globally recognised event which in turn makes the decision to allow these priceless jewels in our built heritage crown to be bull dowsed out of existence, beyond belief.
Notwithstanding his position as co-founder of Harland and Wolff shipyard he was also for eighteen years the Minister of Parliament for East Belfast which should surely count for something in its own right.
No doubt it will be an affront to the readers of this paper from whatever area or community they come from.
However this brazen act raises more questions than it answers.
Where else in the world would allow such a handsome link to the past to be erased from public view without complaint?
Would the United States of America have allowed these houses to be demolished if Harland & Wolff had of being based in New York or San Diego?
Would any country in Western Europe have acquiesced in the destruction of its valuable built heritage in this way?
Indeed, can you imagine ANY country anywhere else in the world that would treat such a valuable resource with such distain?
It is without doubt one of the most ridiculous situations to have befallen this country in terms of historical erosion.
For far too long Sydenham has received bad press and has been viewed by some as an area to be avoided.
An area with few positives to it name.
How wrong an assessment this is?
The work undertaken within our Community, for our Community, by our Community has been nothing short of remarkable in recent years.
The goodwill and generousity of our people to commit their free time to community events and attempts to present a confident, vibrant face to the world has been humbling to be a part of.
Our ongoing work to put Sydenham back on the Map in a positive light is ongoing and will not cease.
Alas, something that could have helped us to tell the positive history of former residents is no longer amongst us.
In those Cottages we had a potential heritage site for a global audience, right on our doorstep.
They could have been incorporated into the main Titanic Project at the Harland & Wolff site and could have helped to put the great area of Sydenham, back on the world map.
This would have gone some way to restore pride in the name of Sydenham and given our youth something to hold on to and call their own.
We must question the determination of the Environmental Heritage Service that these Cottages were not suitable for listing and call upon them to provide full discloser for their findings to support their determination.
Indeed, we were expecting receipt of that report in advance of the determination but sadly to this date, it has not been received despite repeated attempts by us get a copy.
If it is the case that current legislation could not provide safety for these Cottages given their historical links then the legislation requires an urgent root and branch review.
If new legislation is required for the future then that must be the immediate task of our law makers.
We call upon the Minister of the Environment, Sammy Wilson to put on public record his response to this tragic event.
He was quick to applaud our efforts in getting the properties spot listed but has been slow in responding to the news of their destruction.
If he shares our view that a miscarriage of justice has taken place in relation to the destruction of these properties then he is duty bound to make his position clear to the people of Northern Ireland and beyond.
However if he takes his lead from the Environmental Heritage Service as the best people to make the determination then this is a classis case of the tail wagging the Dog.
We have heard much in recent years about the benefit of having local Ministers instead of Direct Rule Ministers and how the future will be brighter for all as our elected representatives are closer to the people and acutely understand the needs of our Community.
We have also heard with much fanfare about the need for Northern Ireland PLC to be managed effectively and all available opportunities grasped with both hands.
This determination then begs the question, who is in charge of Northern Ireland PLC?
Is it our elected representatives or faceless unelected bureaucrats?
Who is really in charge?
We have placed our trust in the people we elected to run this society for the betterment of the community now and to secure the valuable legacy of the history we can all be proud off for the future.
If a review of this case confirms that it would have been in the greater good of the wider community that these Cottages remained standing then we can only conclude that the people standing on the bridge of the good ship Northern Ireland do not in fact have their hands on the lever of power.
They have left the direction of this issue to others.
And if any review finds that the decision made is correct and there was no value in retaining these properties then quite clearly there is no forethought of foresight of the bigger picture at the very centre of our policy makers.
If this sad situation contains no lessons for the future and there are no changes in the light of such an error, then we are surely heading towards a metaphorically iceberg of our own making and the consequences will be sadly predicable with more of the same to come.
Neil McAdam Spokesman
Palmerston Residents Association
