❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the Guildford Hotel, a heritage-listed building damaged by fire. The questions focus on the Minister's actions, powers, and potential legislative changes to protect the hotel from further deterioration.
AnsweredQoN 3995Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Would the Minister please provide a current update on the heritage issues surrounding the Guildford Hotel?
(2) What action has the Minister taken to ensure that the Guildford Hotel does not face any further deterioration?
(3) Is the Minister able to direct the current owners of the Guildford Hotel to limit the deterioration of this famous landmark under any of Western Australia’s heritage laws?
(4) Is the Minister able to intervene in the protection of the Guildford Hotel in any way to prevent further deterioration?
(5) What heritage laws currently apply to the Guildford Hotel?
(6) Is the Government looking to make changes to Western Australia’s heritage laws and will these changes affect the Guildford Hotel?
(2) What action has the Minister taken to ensure that the Guildford Hotel does not face any further deterioration?
(3) Is the Minister able to direct the current owners of the Guildford Hotel to limit the deterioration of this famous landmark under any of Western Australia’s heritage laws?
(4) Is the Minister able to intervene in the protection of the Guildford Hotel in any way to prevent further deterioration?
(5) What heritage laws currently apply to the Guildford Hotel?
(6) Is the Government looking to make changes to Western Australia’s heritage laws and will these changes affect the Guildford Hotel?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 October 2010
Responded by
Minister for Heritage
Response time
33 days
(1) The Guildford Hotel was significantly damaged by fire on 31 August 2008. Immediately after the event, the Heritage Council, through the Office of Heritage, provided the owners with the services of a heritage professional to assist them with identifying the heritage fabric and elements that could be retained. The owners have complied with a Section 403 Dangerous Building notice served by the City of Swan, which has stabilised the structure and made it safe. The owners settled with their insurers in late 2009, and have stated that they are committed to the redevelopment of the site, including returning a hotel function to the community in the heritage building. The owners are working with their architects and advisers on plans for redevelopment of the site as a whole.
(2) The
Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990
does not set maintenance standards, nor does it provide the Minister, or the Heritage Council, with any powers to compel an owner to undertake certain works. I have personally inspected the site and spoken with the owners. In doing so, I have encouraged them to cover the building and to expedite their plans for redeveloping the site. I have also directed the Heritage Council, through the Office of Heritage, to provide such assistance as it can to help the owners progress their redevelopment plans.
(3) No.
(4) No.
(5) The place is entered in the State Register of Heritage Places under the
Heritage of Western Australia Act
1990.
Under Section 11(3) (b) of the
Act
, the responsible local government authority, the City of Swan, must refer any proposed works to the building that require a development application to the Heritage Council for advice. Section 11 (3) (c) requires that the local government authority make a decision on the development application that is consistent with the advice of the Heritage Council.
(6) The
Heritage of Western Australia Act
is now 20 years old, and the community's views, expectations and aspirations for the care and management of heritage places have no doubt changed over this time. Rather than responding to a single situation such as the Guildford Hotel, I have asked the Heritage Council to give me its views on the issues affecting the management of the State's heritage through the
Act
as a whole, and opportunities to improve the
Act's
effectiveness. The Heritage Council will provide its advice to me by the end of the year.
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(2) The
Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990
does not set maintenance standards, nor does it provide the Minister, or the Heritage Council, with any powers to compel an owner to undertake certain works. I have personally inspected the site and spoken with the owners. In doing so, I have encouraged them to cover the building and to expedite their plans for redeveloping the site. I have also directed the Heritage Council, through the Office of Heritage, to provide such assistance as it can to help the owners progress their redevelopment plans.
(3) No.
(4) No.
(5) The place is entered in the State Register of Heritage Places under the
Heritage of Western Australia Act
1990.
Under Section 11(3) (b) of the
Act
, the responsible local government authority, the City of Swan, must refer any proposed works to the building that require a development application to the Heritage Council for advice. Section 11 (3) (c) requires that the local government authority make a decision on the development application that is consistent with the advice of the Heritage Council.
(6) The
Heritage of Western Australia Act
is now 20 years old, and the community's views, expectations and aspirations for the care and management of heritage places have no doubt changed over this time. Rather than responding to a single situation such as the Guildford Hotel, I have asked the Heritage Council to give me its views on the issues affecting the management of the State's heritage through the
Act
as a whole, and opportunities to improve the
Act's
effectiveness. The Heritage Council will provide its advice to me by the end of the year.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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