TAMWORTH councillor Mark Rodda has vowed to stand up and protect the region’s old, historic buildings from being torn down.
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Cr Rodda claims a number of locals have expressed outage the building on the corner of Brisbane and Dowe Streets was being demolished.
“People have said to me 'how the hell did council let this building get demolished?” Cr Rodda said.
The building was not listed on Tamworth Regional Council’s (TRC) Local Environment Plan (LEP) and was not listed on any state heritage lists.
“The old BWS building wasn't very attractive from the outside, but it did have a lot of sentimental value,” he said.
At the last council meeting for 2016, Cr Rodda asked council’s director of planning if there was scope to create a report on buildings in Tamworth, Manilla, Nundle and Barraba to be added to the LEP.
“So ratepayers, who are lovers of heritage buildings, can have confidence significant buildings aren't going anywhere,” Cr Rodda said.
The councillor said there was a number of significant Tamworth buildings that have been demolished in the past.
He listed the White St gentleman’s club, the old Capitol Theatre, the Marius St Powerstation and the Caledonian and Prince of Wales pubs as examples of significant demolished buildings.
The refit of the old Northern Daily Leader building and the Mechanic’s Institute on Brisbane St were pointed to good examples of heritage buildings being recognised and reused, according to Cr Rodda.
TRC director of planning Peter Thompson said there was already a study being conducted looking into heritage buildings in the CBD.
“Council has engaged heritage consultants to undertake a study in Peel St to identify significant buildings from a heritage perspective,” Mr Thompson said.
“The study will provide an inventory of historic properties with some commentary on their use over the years.
“The study will also identify works which might be considered to improve the properties such as approaches to advertising signage or the location of air conditioning units.
“In addition to looking at individual properties, the study will also provide suggestions about how the overall appearance of the street might be improved by enhancement of the heritage items in the streetscape.”
Mr Thompson said council would seek grant funding to undertake similar studies in the region’s smaller towns.
The director said council’s LEP was due to be reviewed in the coming years and the heritage building study would be a “key document in informing the review”.