Land that once used to be the site of an old iron mining shed will not be subject to a heritage overlay, councillors decided on Wednesday night.
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They unanimously voted to abandon a proposed planning scheme amendment for a heritage overlay, after the mining shed was demolished due to safety concerns in September last year.
The current owners had bought the land in 2018 unaware of any potential development pitfalls.
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They had planned to demolish the structure, which is believed to have been a pump shed constructed as part of the Eureka Lead Gold Sluicing Company's operations during the 1930s, and build their family home near the old pump shed.
The land, at 113 Lofven Street in Nerrina, had not previously subject to any heritage overlays. The shed lay partially on private property and partly on crown land administered by the Department of Land, Water and Planning.
[We] are very, very happy this has finally been resolved after two years of uncertainty. Now can finally finish what we dreamt about when purchasing our block
- Owner
Councillors intervened in April 2019 to place an interim protection order over the site, after a member of the public had been in touch following the shed's partial demolition with concerns it had heritage value.
A consultant subsequently deemed it significant at a local level. Ultimately, the owners adjusted their plans at some expense and built their home.
The matter went before council again in July last year when a recommendation to put the proposed heritage overlay amendment in front an independent planning panel was deferred.
Following storms at the end of August, more of the structure fell down. After a subsequent inspection by a municipal building surveyor, its demolition was ordered in September as it was "at risk of further collapse and imposed danger to life."
One of the owners told The Courier last night they were "very, very happy this has finally been resolved after two years of uncertainty."
"Now can finally finish what we dreamt about when purchasing our block."
TIMELINE
JULY 2018: The block, which is otherwise vacant apart from the shed, is purchased by its current owners.
SEPTEMBER 2020:Much debated iron shed demolished
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