Goulburn Heritage Group calls for compliance on main street shop fronts

Goulburn Heritage Group (GHG) says building codes written to protect the city’s heritage jewels in the main street are being ignored.

“Built heritage and social history are among the Goulburn community’s major assets,” according to the GHG.

“Auburn Street is one of the city’s heritage jewels. Our community has entrusted protection of its heritage to Goulburn Mulwaree Council,” the GHG said in a letter to the council.

Tobacconist shops in Goulburn and Crookwell have come under the notice of health authorities, who are reluctant to comment.

Goulburn Heritage Group is concerned the vision to maintain and enhance the central business district and its historic charm as a visually attractive destination for local people and visitors is being compromised.

Convenience and tobacconist shops proliferate the central business district, and ones fitted with black roller shutters are creating a ‘dead space’ in Auburn Street, GHG said.

One of the shops in question was formerly Vintage House, which had the most attractive window displays, complementing the heritage streetscape, the advocacy group said.

“We have been advised that the installation of the black shutters on this building, and two other establishments in Auburn Street, are compliant. Members are asking, ‘Compliant with what?’” GHG said.

“If businesses have stock which is so valuable that they require high security, strongrooms should be installed at the rear of the premises,” the letter said.

The heritage advocates said when the council’s planning department received development applications for renovations and new developments it had guidelines and controls to measure compliance of what was proposed.

Those guidelines encouraged authentic reconstruction and stipulated retaining original timber and metal shop front framing and using active shop fronts to the street to activate the footpath and create interest.

The guidelines say before work proceeded council needed to see details of materials, finishes, profiles and colours for facades including any proposed signage. Signs should be of colour and lettering appropriate to the period style of the building.

According to GHG the city is one of the few in NSW retaining an attractive heritage main street.

“Council is advocating measures to make Auburn Street a vibrant area after hours – do these recent development application decisions advance this goal?” the GHG letter asks.

Instead of attractive windows inviting visitors to enter and enjoy shopping when they come into Auburn Street, they are seeing black shutters with dimly lit interiors, or painted out windows.

Goulburn’s heritage was a recurring issue for candidates in the recent local government elections and GHG says incoming councillors now face an early test of their campaign commitments to heritage.

Responding to GHG’s concerns, the council said development applications were not submitted for the convenience shops’ new shop fronts and the shutters were non-compliant.

It is now up to a council compliance team to decide what will happen with the shutters and whether they remain permanently.

The council said it referred development applications to the GHG for comment.

But according to GHG two other buildings which were recently repainted in the CBD were not referred to the advocacy group, and the council is not consistent in referring new DAs to the group for comment.

Rapid growth in Tobacconist shops is statewide. Authorities have responded to complaints in Goulburn and Crookwell. Police referred Region’s inquiries to NSW Health, which issued this response:

“NSW Health has a strong compliance and enforcement program in relation to tobacco and e-cigarettes, including in Southern NSW Local Health District. We are unable to provide specific details on local enforcement activity for operational reasons.”