ECF Case Studies: Let’s talk about heritage

When it comes to conserving our built environment, perhaps we need to find some middle ground.

Earlier this year it seemed that some members of the media were out to stir the pot by suggesting that current heritage legislation was a barrier to development, particularly when it came to housing. They painted heritage legislation as a shackle on homeowners, and a barrier to entry for first-time buyers in Sydney’s inner suburbs. In a landscape characterised by our current housing crisis, heritage found itself at odds with modern development.

Then came the NSW Government’s proposal to impose new zoning controls within 400 metres of a train station (the so-called TOD SEPP), capturing certain heritage conservation areas in the process. Suddenly the heritage debate was back on, with arguments both for and against and why some of Sydney’s inner suburbs, in particular, needed protection.

We must find a balance between viewing heritage as sacrosanct and thinking it is a luxury we can’t afford. Times change, development is necessary, and we need to negotiate solutions that ensure our built environment can support the needs of our population while preserving its history and local character. Surely, we can do both.

Community engagement is critical to getting this right. By creating opportunities for communities to voice their concerns, be listened to, and listen to each other, people can exercise their right to have a say in the things that enrich their lives.

What matters to Sydneysiders? We need to understand priorities, and what might more appropriately be consigned to the past. Through doing so, we can create a more inclusive, and cohesive Sydney.