North Sydney Council is seeking for the MLC building at 153 Miller St North Sydney to be listed on the State Heritage Register after the Land and Environment Court dismissed a development application appeal to demolish the existing building and construct a new 27-storey commercial building on 3 May.
The court also acknowledged the building’s state heritage significance during the hearing.
The Heritage Council of NSW had previously recommended the site for state heritage listing, and approval was granted in June 2021 by the then Minister for Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts, the Hon Donald Harwin. However, an error in the process was later found to have made the state heritage listing invalid, which led to its overturning by the Land and Environment Court on July 15, 2022.
The MLC building was completed in 1957. It was the first high-rise office block in North Sydney and, at the time, was the largest building of its type in Australia.
The Council’s move to secure the building’s state heritage listing is a proactive step to ensure that this iconic building’s cultural significance is preserved for future generations.