MID-WESTERN REGIONAL COUNCIL HERITAGE

STRATEGY 2017 - 2019

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Introduction

This Heritage Strategy has been prepared in accordance with the NSW Heritage Office publication “Recommendations for Local Council Heritage Management”.

The strategy is based on the NSW Department of Planning and Heritage Council publication “Recommendations for Local Government Heritage Management” and has been prepared in consultation with Mid-Western Regional Council’s Heritage Advisor, Mr Graham Hall. All Local Councils in NSW will use the Heritage Strategy format together with the accompanying Heritage Strategy Annual Report methodology. The Heritage Office, in reviewing its local government and heritage advisor annual reporting requirements, require a report on the implementation of Council’s Heritage Strategy to be prepared by Council staff and heritage advisor.

Mid-Western Regional Council has long established its recognition of its history and heritage. Council has supported for almost 20 years a range of appropriate heritage measures in the care and conservation of its streetscapes, buildings and other historic places.

1. Establish a Heritage Committee to deal with heritage matters in theMid-Western Regional Council area

MWRC had a functioning Heritage Committee from the early 1990s until 2011. In 2016 the Heritage Committee recommenced. The committee meets once a month and is charged with the role of providing advice at a policy level in relation to heritage matters to Council. The committee is a formal Section 355 of the Local Government Act 1993 Committee of Council. Accordingly, a report is prepared for Council once a month reporting the meet-ing minutes and regarding the matters raised by the Committee.

The committee is represented by community members from across the local government area, senior Council staff and Councillors. It is proposed to continue the operation of the Heritage Committee enabling it to contin-ue to be actively involved in heritage issues and to continue to provide appropriate heritage advice to Council when necessary.

The following actions are planned for the 2017-2019 period:

Actions:

• The Committee to continue its focus at the policy level. The Heritage Committee will work together withthe Heritage Advisor where appropriate and Council’s staff.

• Continually review the composition of the Committee to ensure that adequate representation is providedfrom the local historical societies, national trust and Aboriginal Land Councils consistent with NSW HeritageOffice guidelines and the Heritage Committee’s Terms of Reference.

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2. Identify Heritage Items in the Mid-Western Regional area and list themin our Local Environmental Plan

Mid-Western Regional Council has a comprehensive list of heritage items included in the Mid-Western Regional Local Environmental Plan 2012 with over 400 places listed and four Heritage Conservation Areas. The former Rylstone local government area is not well documented with only 33 properties heritage listed.

Both the former Mudgee and Rylstone Shire Councils have completed a comprehensive review of their heritage items. Those Community-based Heritage studies were directly managed by their respective heritage committees and included wide community consultation. A range of recommendations including improvement of heritage management and additional heritage listings were made and were considered as part of the prepara-tion of the Mid-Western Regional Local Environmental Plan 2012. The following actions are planned for the 2017-2019 period:

Actions:

• With the assistance of the Heritage Committee review the items contained in the LEP and recent studies, tofollow up on the heritage listings recommended, to review or supplement the statements of significance forsignificant places within the LGA and to identify information shortfalls.

• Continue to use the State Heritage Inventory software from NSW Heritage Office and train Council’s staff toaccess and use the data. Arrange for staff training by NSW Heritage Office.

• Continue to add to the State Heritage Inventory Data sheets for all significant items, including checking offormal property addresses, curtilage, historic information and historic/current photographs.

• Encourage increased liaison between Mudgee, Gulgong, Rylstone and Kandos historical societies (outsidethe formal Heritage Committee) in the identification and assessment of places of potential significance. Thiscould involve the societies assisting in the State Heritage Inventory data collection by contributing in a regu-lar way to the research and writing of brief histories of potential places.

3. Appoint a Heritage Advisor to assist Council, the Community andowners of listed items

The Mid-Western Regional Council has supported the heritage advisory program (except for the period between 2011 and 2016) since its inception in the 1980s. The former Mudgee Shire has had a skilled heritage advisor since the late 1980s and the former Rylstone Shire Council since the mid-late 1990s. The advisory service is regularly advertised locally by Council and is well used by the community and Council staff with the advice being sought for heritage and urban design issues. The following actions are planned for the 2017-2019 period.

Actions:• Council to continue to advertise the free advisory program in local newspapers. Review the manner in which

the public is made aware of this service and look at existing and new mediums, including Council website and Council’s “Community News” newspaper.

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• The Heritage Advisor program to be continued, enabling best practice urban design advice and heritagesupport and guidance to Council in planning and development issues generally. This could involve formaladvice regarding development applications or other works likely to affect heritage items or places ofsignificance generally.

• The heritage advisor to assist in the preparation of related strategic planning documents to assist Counciland the Community, such as development control plans and educational brochures.

4. Manage heritage in the Mid-Western Regional area in a positivemanner

As part of the Interim 2008 LEP for the former Mudgee Shire, two additional conservation areas were established. There are now four heritage conservation areas including Rylstone, Gulgong, Mudgee and Hargraves. This will enable a wider assessment of new development in an effort to encourage and guide development likely to contribute and reinforce the character of towns and villages in a positive manner. The following actions are planned for the 2017-2019 period:

Actions:

• Develop heritage provisions for the Development Control Plan.

• Review and produce additional fact sheets for heritage conservation. These fact sheets would assist ownersof historic buildings and potential property developers in recognising key aspects of the different heritageconservation areas and individual items.

• Promote the ease and encourage the use of the minor works Clause 5.10 of the Mid-Western Regional LocalEnvironmental Plan 2012.

• Council to continue to support local historical societies. The ‘local history’ section of the Mid-WesternRegional Council Public Library fulfills a genuine need in providing local history research and genealogicalinformation to the community and many visitors every year.

5. Introduce a Local Heritage Incentives fund to provide a small grantsprogram to encourage local heritage projects

Mid-Western Regional Council has successfully managed Local Heritage Grants for many years. The following actions are planned for the 2017-2019 period:

Actions:

• Continue to promote the longer term benefits of the Local Heritage Grant to the communityenabling appropriate budgeting for the Local Heritage Grants to continue.

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• The Local Heritage Grants are to be appropriately advertised at the commencement of each financial yearand the community encouraged to make good use of the available funding.

• Prepare good news stories for inclusion in Council communication in relation to successfully completedprojects under the program.

6. Present Educational and Promotional Programs

The former Mudgee and Rylstone Shire Councils have long been aware of the importance of promotional heritage programs. In association with the local branch of the National Trust of Australia (NSW) both Councils organised a regular 2-3 yearly heritage awards scheme for regional heritage projects. The awards were finan-cially supported by Council and local businesses.

The former Mudgee Shire Council has in the past conducted a range of short courses, forums and discussion workshops for Councillors, Council staff and local professionals (builders, solicitors, estate agents, building designers etc). The following actions are planned for the 2017-2019 period:

Actions:

• Review the printed information to ensure that it is up-to-date and relevant.

• Links to already established information sources such as the Heritage Branch heritage maintenancepublications to be included on Council’s website.

7. Promote Sustainable development as a tool for heritagemanagement

Mid-Western Regional Council is aware of the economic and cultural importance of sustainable devel-opment. The following actions are planned for the 2017-2019 period:

Actions:

• Continue to encourage and support compatible adaptive re-use, or infill or sympathetic additions to heri-tage places and significant buildings generally.

• Encourage energy efficient design solutions in heritage places and older buildings for water, energy and waste management.

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