Heritage listing not to be entered into lightly says State councillor amid talk of plans for Norman House

A building must have had a significant Statewide impact to be included on WA’s heritage list, according to one of the State’s heritage councillors. Richard Offen is both a member of WA’s Heritage Council and president of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society. He said including a building on the State’s list was not “entered into lightly” and would only come at the end of a detailed process that could take up to a year. “They are not considered lightly, it’s done very carefully,” he said. “All of the physical evidence, the historical evidence is amassed and looked at and people are consulted — it’s very much a consultative process to make sure everyone thinks ‘yeah, this place has got to go on’. “Local municipal inventories are the wish list for local authorities, it’s when a place is on the planning scheme under the heritage section that it has some bite, meaning authorities have to be consulted if you are going to do something.” Mr Offen’s comments come after concerns were raised by sections of the Albany community about the potential demolition of Norman House to make way for a proposed six unit dwelling. Norman House is not included on the State’s Heritage list, but is included as having considerable significance on the City of Albany’s heritage list. Cheynes Stables, which sits behind Norman House and would not be impacted in the same way by the proposed development, is included on the same list as having exceptional significance. A public comment period for the proposed development has prompted calls for the building to be assessed for inclusion on the State’s list so it can be protected. Mr Offen said heritage assessments considered a number of questions to establish whether a building “is significant in the story of the history of WA”. “Is it something very unique or uncommon?” he said. “What does it contribute to the understanding of the State’s history? “Is it associated with a particular person or group or organisations? “Are the aesthetics very special to the State? “Does it demonstrate a high degree of creative or technical achievement in its architecture or where it was built?” He said something being included on a list did “not necessarily” mean it was protected at all cost and that it was “important to retain things but it must not stifle the growth of a place”. “A lot of people seem to think that the degrees of protection both State and local, mean that you have to put it in vinegar and not let anything happen to it, that’s a complete fallacy,” he said. “The best way to get a building loved and needed is to make it useful and therefore it’s quite possible to make additions, make alterations. “The mantra is do as much as necessary, but as little as possible.” He said there were instances when safety concerns could leave buildings beyond repair to the point that they had to be removed. “In those instances, what is there must be recorded in the minutest detail and acknowledged in what comes after it,” he said. “Hopefully most places aren’t in that state. “There are some sadly that are well past their use by date and nothing will stop it falling over.” Documents associated with the proposed development of 25 new dwellings between Stirling Terrace and Frederick Street are available on the City of Albany website. The public comment period runs until 9.30am on Monday, September 25. The size of the development application means it will be considered by a Joint Development Assessment Panel rather than the Albany council.