Commonwealth should consider 'risks' of granting Canberra heritage status, ACT government says

Acting Chief Minister Yvette Berry wrote to the federal Environment Minister, Sussan Ley, to seek fresh assurances over the decade-old process to consider listing the city, including whether protections would be "onerous" and what scope they would cover.

"We are also keen to collaborate on the associated guidelines before any listing might be endorsed. As a dynamic and growing city, and one that must continue to adapt to climate change, the Commonwealth and ACT governments must have flexibility in the controls and requirements that protect and govern the evolution of the national capital," Ms Berry's December 20 letter said.

But Heritage Minister Rebecca Vassarotti, who is a member of the Greens, is more enthusiastic about the proposed listing.

She said a statement she saw the benefits for the city and Australia in placing heritage protections on Canberra, which would include economic and tourism opportunities.

"There has been productive conversations with the Commonwealth and my cabinet colleagues about the national listing of Canberra. The ACT is continuing to work with federal government on co-ordinated national and ACT heritage protection of the central national area, lake and inner hills to protect Canberra's character while meeting community needs for housing and transport," Ms Vassarotti said.

Canberra was first nominated to the national heritage list in 2011, with an expectation in 2012 the city could be listed in time for the city's 2013 centenary. Ms Ley is expected to make the final decision on the city's inclusion on the list.

If Canberra were granted national heritage list status, it would be mostly broad and thematic protections, which would not affect privately owned property in the ACT. Most of the proposed area is already covered by Commonwealth planning controls.

But the territory government is concerned the listing could limit its ability to deliver new, and upgrade old, infrastructure.

The ACT government has asked the Commonwealth to clarify if the protections under the listing would go beyond or be more inflexible than current planning and design provisions of the national capital plan and the territory plan.

"Similarly, consideration should be given as to whether potential future changes to existing building height limits would affect the [national heritage list] values in the listing statement," Ms Berry's letter said.

Ms Berry wrote to Ms Ley following a cabinet meeting to say the territory government considered the listing would carry a number of potential risks and current planning controls already protected many of the planned city's historic features.

"A [national heritage listing] which limited, or risks limiting in the future, necessary growth and development of Canberra and future project delivery would not be in the best interest of the city or the community," she wrote

"As an additional matter for consideration in the case of major developments, on top of already robust regulatory processes, a [national heritage listing] could create potential delays in delivery of projects that would improve the daily lives of its residents."

A spokesman for Ms Ley on Wednesday said: "The matter is under consideration, including further engagement with the ACT government."

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