GOULBURN Mulwaree Council may set up a Heritage Working Group to simplify the preservation of significant past and future heritage buildings.

Tomorrow night’s council meeting will consider a motion from Cr Neil Penning, which, if passed, will establish the group.

Cr Penning says Council has many policy documents that try to manage Goulburn’s past and future heritage buildings.

“Some of the ways these documents have been interpreted over the years have been good – like 127 Bourke Street (Capital Pathology building) – replacing insignificant old buildings with a new, contemporary, functional building that fits the streetscape,” he says.

“Sometimes we have interpreted these documents badly, to produce the fake heritage buildings – like 175 Auburn Street (Something Special and Super Cheap building) – that most of the community are now railing against.”

Cr Penning says there’s now “a reasonable level of confusion” in the community as to what people can do with their old buildings or sites, and what is expected of them.

“Council has heritage advisors who try to match the increasing maze of opinion and policy on this very subjective problem.”

His solution? A Council Heritage Working Group to review all existing heritage documents and report to Council in July on anomalies and amendments that would “simplify the preservation of our significant past, and build our significant future heritage”.

Council’s acting General Manager, Chris Stewart comments: “To facilitate the establishment of the Working Party and ensure the 2012 timeframe is met, it is recommended that Council nominate members (for the Working Party) as part of any resolution to this motion.

“Some suggestions put forward for committee membership: nominated Councillor(s); Council’s Heritage Advisor; Goulburn Heritage Group representative; Gary Dutaillis; Michelle Hazelgrove. Once the Working Party is formed additional members may be added.”

Mr Stewart says the July deadline for the review is achievable. But any subsequent amendments to Council policies and plans “may take considerable time to finalise”.