South Gippsland heritage discussions

AN ATTENTIVE and involved audience at the Korumburra Scout Hall was keen to learn more about South Gippsland Shire Council’s Heritage Precincts Project, with the Radovick Street residential area being considered for Heritage Overlay controls.

As previously reported, that is also being considered for the Loch, Fish Creek and Toora town centres.

It was made clear during Tuesday’s gathering that should the proposed overlays eventually be put in place, they would only apply to the exterior of people’s homes, even for buildings deemed ‘significant’, and would not prevent interior alterations.

Permits would not be needed for routine maintenance.

It was argued that a Heritage Overlay can act as a form of quality assurance, preventing people from ruining a street’s appeal through inappropriate development, attracting buyers looking for homes with character, and potentially protecting property values.

However, some attendees expressed concern such an overlay would result in extra costs or make their place less appealing to buyers.

“Council is going to benefit, the local community is going to benefit (but) this is going to cost us a fortune,” one lady said, her house earmarked to be considered for classification as ‘significant’.

While not wanting to make any alterations to the exterior of the building, she is worried about the impact a Heritage Overlay would have on its value.

South Gippsland Shire Strategic Planning Coordinator Ken Griffiths said the possibility of Heritage Overlays sprang from the view of community members that council should protect the character and heritage of South Gippsland’s towns, with the State Government providing most of the funding needed to support the current project.

“The project is only as good as the feedback we get along the way,” Stacey Nguyen of consultancy business Heritage Workshop said, the Melbourne-based agency undertaking a study for council and due to provide it with a report by the end of this year.

Feedback from Tuesday’s session and others held in Loch, Fish Creek and Toora will be considered along with other public comments submitted in the coming weeks, as will research, with further public sessions intended to take place in August.

If council supports Heritage Overlay suggestions, the matter will then go to the State Government.

Founding Director of Heritage Workshop Dr James Lesh spoke of South Gippsland being a fast-growing region and the importance of managing change, stressing heritage controls are not about stopping development or freezing towns in time.

Homestead ‘Braeside’ at 52-54 Radovick Street was given as an example of a ‘significant’ property from a heritage perspective, being labelled one of the oldest and most important homes in the shire.

Should the Radovick Street Overlay proceed, that property would fall in the highest protection category with exterior changes to be managed carefully.

“Protecting a site like this makes sure Radovick Street keeps its special, high-value look,” it was stated.

Mayor Nathan Hersey was an interested member of Tuesday’s audience, chatting to the Sentinel-Times after the session.

“From the feel in the room and the questions being asked, it’s evident a lot of local residents value the heritage, the street appeal and the feel of Radovick Street in Korumburra,” Cr Hersey said, noting the importance of hearing from those who will be impacted.

“One of the main things I hear from residents is that people come here, live here and want to be here because of the look, the feel and the community we have, and it’s precincts like this that make our townships special, and to look at preserving that, I think people are now seeing there is value in that,” he added.

The Mayor offered the example of a resident he spoke to who has done various work on his house over 40 years, and who would find it tragic to see it demolished for a development when he moves on in later years.

A later Tuesday session was held in Loch, with two such meetings taking place this Thursday May 14, the first in the Oberon Room of the Fish Creek Hotel from 3pm until 4.30pm, followed by one at the Toora Community Hall Committee Room from 6pm until 7.30pm.