We’re pleased to hear that Goulburn Mulwaree Council is retaining an old cottage in Hetherington Street that it clearly had slated for the bulldozer.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Such was its rush to demolish the brick and rubblestone house that reports last year described it as a “derelict cottage.” There was little attempt by consultants to delve into its history and they recorded that there were “no known heritage items found within the site.”
That’s true only to an extent. The cottage is not listed as a heritage item but, as many know, that list is not exhaustive. Indeed, the inventory has missed historic places, prompting a review.
This week the council explained the oversight, saying “the required due diligence assessment by the consultants preparing the DA did not identify it as having any significance.”
The process surrounding this development application and one for the new depot opposite has left much to be desired. The council might say it has maintained “arm’s length” by having the DA independently assessed but there have been several critical oversights.
A landholder in the area, John Sutton, took them to task over the initial DA’s lack of a traffic study. Then he took legal action, alleging the council erred in process over the DA. He was awarded more than $11,000 in legal costs and the council had to lodge another development application.
Later, it approved the DA for the office opposite the depot, including the demolition, before commissioning a heritage report on the cottage. This was despite a July public submission from nearby resident Jeff Coggan pointing out its possible heritage significance.
Little wonder the Goulburn Heritage Group calls the process “oddly unprofessional.” Would the council accept such corner cutting from any other developer?
The council maintained it had followed due process by having an independent assessment undertaken and this was why the heritage report was commissioned.
Yet the fact remains that it did come later, after several parties highlighted the cottage’s early construction. If not for them, we’d hazard a guess it would have slipped conveniently under the radar.
What’s good for others must also be good for the council when it comes to development applications. This must also include the performing arts venue.