A government-owned corporation says it has faced lengthy waits and indefinite delays seeking advice from the ACT's heritage unit, which it says could be avoided if heritage information was better shared.
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Icon Water has said it has done its best to meet heritage requirements without input from the ACT Heritage Unit, but has had to proceed with utility works for essential water and sewerage services without proper heritage assessments.
"[An] example was no advice pertaining to ongoing pillar hydrant management in heritage precincts, including demarcation for ACT Fire and Rescue to prevent use of decommissioned assets in an emergency response that could have serious public safety and property implications," the water utility has told a Legislative Assembly inquiry.
Icon Water's environment and sustainability manager, Benjamin Bryant, told the inquiry into the ACT's heritage arrangements a point of contact for follow-up and escalation other than a generic email address would help with heritage management.
"Under the current arrangements, Icon Water is not enabled to manage heritage proactively with live operation and maintenance of extensive assets across Canberra," Mr Bryant's submission said.
"Similar to arrangements in place with the ACT Environmental Protection Authority for ACT contaminated site data, Icon Water would like to establish full heritage data access under a data sharing agreement to enable self-management protecting heritage while delivering timely water and wastewater services."
The Icon Water submission said burst water mains and sewer overflow incidents required an immediate response, while planned maintenance could have a 14-day advance warning in which to procure heritage advice.
The number of requests for advice from the heritage council more than doubled between 2014 and 2021, with demand for advice on urban infill projects, greenfield development and residential works.
"In the 2021-22 financial year, 64 per cent of advice was issued within the statutory referral period which is below the 90 per cent target," the government told the inquiry in a submission.
The council issued 70 per cent more advice in 2022 than it did in 2014, exceeding the growth in staff within the government's heritage unit.
Heritage Minister Rebecca Vassarotti has told the inquiry an interim heritage council would be put in place in April, with terms of reference for the body which will serve for at least a year.
"[The terms of reference] will include improved and clearly articulated governance arrangements, clarity around roles and responsibilities, membership and taskforces, meeting and taskforce processes," Ms Vassarotti's submission to the inquiry said.
The government will also develop a strategic business plan for ACT Heritage in 2023-24, along with a heritage statement of intent "that will clearly state the future vision of heritage and define the objectives and direction of heritage in the ACT".
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Ms Vassarotti also wrote the ACT needed to balance preservation of heritage buildings with conservation, ensuring buildings can retain their character while being adapted to suit the needs of present and future occupants.
"No building is kept in its original form and used forever. This process does not need to be costly or onerous but requires a sensible reflection of how we can support building owners and the community to ensure that heritage is valued and celebrated, while ensuring that we continue to work to ensure our built fabric is climate wise," she said.
The Legislative Assembly's standing committee on environment, climate change and biodiversity launched an inquiry into the ACT's heritage system in December.
Ms Vassarotti was handed a consultants' report in November that founded strained relationships between the heritage council and inefficient heritage systems presented an "imminent risk to ACT heritage sites".
Ms Vassarotti terminated the appointments of all council members and announced a separate internal government review of the ACT's heritage system.
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