Council was warned that large scale heritage listings would seriously hamper prospects for growth in the local government area.

There were emotional submissions when councillors battled over a rescission motion called to overturn a decision in the draft LEP (local environment plan) to remove a proposed 600 heritage recommendations.

The decision to remove the recommendations had attracted little evident protest from the general public but there had been some very vocal calls for a re-think from the local branch of the National Trust and a small number of other special interests.

Notably it was the chairman of the National Trust branch, Cr Col Hunter, who headed the rescission motion together with the two other required signatories, Crs Ray Thompson and Joe McGinnes.

The motion was further supported by Cr Martin Ticehurst when it came before council, on his first appearance after lengthy suspension.

The rescission motion called for the reinstatement of the proposed Heritage Conservation Zones that had been placed on the deferred list at a council meeting in October last year.

Cr Hunter claimed that due process had not been followed in the removal of the heritage listings and said that ‘some councillors believed there was no heritage in Lithgow’s Main Street’.

“Only 20 people objected.

“How just 20 people could have changed this I don’t know,” he said.

Cr Frank Inzitari agreed that heritage was important but warned that ‘we shouldn’t keep tripping over where we have been’.

He said that just because only 20 of the 600 property owners had realised the implications and bothered to respond should not to be taken as a mandate.

“I find it alarming that (after recommendations) State Heritage can put this on you and it’s done and dusted,” Cr Inzitari said.

“Who would want to buy a heritage listed property that had not already been done up,” he asked.

Cr Wayne McAndrew, this time seconded by Cr Ticehurst, moved an amendment that council rescind the resolution of October 28 and proceed with acceptance of those property owners who had agreed to heritage listing.

He further moved that council defer indefinitely any action to list the properties of those who had objected so that full consultation could take place at a future date.

He said there were no doubt many for and many against the heritage listings.

Those objecting wanted the status quo to remain.

He said there were some people wanting to implement business plans subject to the decision on heritage listings.

Cr Hunter said he would accept the amendment.

“If people make no comment then I take that as approval,” he said.

Cr Peter Pilbeam said council was acting contrary to Heritage Office guidelines with wholesale recommendations.

He said it was clearly stated that the recommendation had to be of items of significance ‘after studies and requiring approval by the owners’.

“If you send out 600 letters and get no replies you can’t regard that as consultation,” he said.

He said there were some draconian issues involved in the LEP recommendations.

“If someone finds themselves in a conservation zone they can’t even remove vegetation,” he said.

“Is council prepared to wipe away the rights of residents?”

He accused Cr Hunter of ‘wanting to rule the roost on heritage’.

Cr Pilbeam quoted a recent example of a new home being built in Ordnance Avenue Lithgow where acting on only a draft proposal a council officer had demanded to specify the type of bricks to be used, the colour of the roofing material, where the garage could be located and ‘even the size of the windows’.

“And this was only on a draft document that hadn’t even been ratified,” he said.

Mayor Maree Statham said the heritage controls on the Portland Cement Works were a classic example of ‘a couple of people who felt it would be a good idea to have it listed’.

“Some items there need to be preserved but the rest is a disgrace to Portland,” the mayor said.

“This is all about people’s rights.”

Cr Statham said council should not be promoting ‘heavy handed legislation’ which placed an ‘unwelcome covenant’ on residents’ properties.

She said the original recommendation in the LEP called for an increase from 60 listings to 660 in one go.

(Cr Hunter objected to the mayor’s statement and said the ‘couple of people’ who had proposed the cement works listing were personal friends.)

Deputy mayor Ray Thompson said he had voted in favour of the proposal back in October and would do the same again.

“My only problem with heritage is some of the fanatics who are involved in heritage,” he said.

The amendment by Cr McAndrew was adopted on a 5-4 vote.