Heritage Impact Assessment Planning Institute of Australia For Planners Seminar Series 3 June 2014

Ivan McDonald Ivan McDonald Architects

Outline

• The statutory regime

• Heritage impact assessment methodology

• Relevant assessment codes

• The structure of a heritage impact report

• Who is “qualified” to do the work?

• How to brief a consultant

• What to look for in a completed report

The cultural environment

• Historic cultural environment

• Natural cultural environment

• Indigenous cultural environment

Historic cultural environment

• Typically urban built environment

• Can include buildings, parks, open spaces, bridges, railways, jetties, etc.

• Can include physical fabric and physical settings

Heritage impact assessment is not to be confused with

• Character assessment

• Cultural heritage significance assessment

• Conservation management planning

The broad statutory regime

• Various statutes at all levels of governments

• EPBC Act

• Queensland Heritage Act - State heritage places

- Local heritage places

• Planning schemes

• Burra Charter not a statutory document

When is heritage impact assessment required?

• Mandatory information for State heritage places

• Required in some planning schemes - Brisbane and most provincial cities

• Development adjoining a State heritage place is no longer assessable development

Suggested triggers for heritage impact assessment

• No statement of significance

• Demolition of significant elements

• Change of use

• Substantial intervention in significant fabric

• Substantial change in setting

Methodology

Heritage impact assessment is fundamentally about assessing the impact of proposed development on the cultural significance of a heritage place.

• Not an advocacy report

• An assessment report

• Not an assessment of significance - Assess a place against criteria

- Applies thresholds

- Produces a statement of significance

- Does not deal with management issues

Methodology

• Not a conservation management plan - Assesses significance

- Sets policies to conserve that significance

- Can set policy for potential development

- Can immeasurably inform the heritage impact assessment process

Methodology

• A heritage impact report considers - The significance of the place

- The proposed development

- The likely impact of that development on the place’s significance

Methodology

• Development can impact in 3 principal ways - Use (should be compatible)

- Fabric (consider significant fabric, especially demolition)

- Setting

Methodology

• Consider stakeholder input - Often overlooked

- Burra Charter encourages participation

- Impact assessment provides some input

Methodology

• Adverse impacts - Should be identified

- Options considered

- Ways to mitigate impacts identified

- Early identification can avert

Methodology

Relevant assessment codes

• Queensland Heritage Place State Code

• IDAS Code for Development on a Local Heritage Place - Except for 12 local governments

• Planning scheme codes - BCC Heritage Place Code, etc.

Structure of a heritage impact report

• One report model does not fit all

• Single page to full report

• Usual components - Existing conditions

- What is significant

- Proposed development

- Impact of development on significance

- Conclusive statement of impact

Impacts to be considered

• Impact of use

• Impact on significant fabric

• Impact on setting

• Impact on statement of significance

Consider

• Ways to mitigate adverse impacts - Prior to impact assessment

- In report

• Whether further information is required

• Need for approval conditions - Vibration monitoring

- Interpretation

- Recording/storage

Guidelines

• DEHP Preparing a Heritage Impact Statement

• Planning schemes - BBC City Plan SC6.12 Heritage Planning Scheme Policy

• Allow for discretion and negotiation

Whose assessment of significance?

• The heritage regulator’s – yes

• A non-statutory assessment – maybe

• At regulator’s discretion

Who is “qualified” to do the work?

• A “suitably qualified person”

• Wide range of heritage specialists

• Specialist not always required if all parties agree

• ICOMOS member as yardstick

• DEHP and BCC keep a consultant list

How to brief a consultant

• Consider getting early advice

• Is there already an assessment of significance?

• Is there already a cmp?

• If not, commission early

• Which codes to address

• Don’t hide issues

What to look for in a completed HIR

• A conclusive statement of heritage impact

• There is range of possible impact extents - None (rare)

- Some (usually acceptable if minor, could be cumulative minor impacts)

- Substantial (not likely to be acceptable unless no prudent or feasible alternative)

• Like any report - Concise but thorough

- Rational, reasonable and objective

- Conclusive

The report should

• Demonstrate an understanding of the place’s significance

• Demonstrate an understanding of the nature and extent of the proposed development

• Make a balanced and unbiased assessment of impact

• Consider ways to mitigate adverse impacts

• Recommend appropriate approval conditions

Beware of

• Heavy description/light analysis

• The “gun for hire” who blindly supports

• The “amateur”

The report should also

• Address all heritage aspects of the development

• Recognise that the town planner’s agenda and the heritage regulator’s agenda may be quite different

• Not be expected to expunge every negative comment

• Be prepared with independence and professionalism