The changed design of the proposed World War I and World War II memorials would have to be referred back to the Canberra National Memorials Committee, National Capital Authority chief executive Garry Rake said yesterday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Proponents of the memorials, who have an approved site allocation at Rond Terraces at the foot of Anzac Parade, have submitted a modified design to Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke for approval under the Environmental Protection, Biodiversity and Conservation Act. The design modifications would reduce the height of the proposed $21 million memorials from 20m to 15m.
Mr Rake said this would not affect the site allocation but the changed design of the proposed memorials should be reconsidered by the committee.
''I think I have to refer this back to the Canberra National Memorials Committee to see if the refinement is consistent with the character they approved,'' Mr Rake said.
There was a question at least whether the revised design was consistent with the committee's approval.
''If the nature of the change were so trivial it could go through but I don't believe it is trivial.''
This did not mean the changed design would make approval of the proposed memorials less favourable.
The Memorials Development Committee intends to raise the $21million to pay for the proposed memorials from public appeals and approaches to philanthropic people.
Committee chairman Mike Buick said on Monday the committee had considered the community's feedback on the proposal and had sought expert advice from a heritage architect to ensure the designs met the strict standards of the environmental Act.
The proposed memorials are opposed by the Lake War Memorials Forum. Group spokesman David Stephens said yesterday the redesign was a significant change from that which had been approved in 2008. It seemed identical to the dimensions of a short-listed but unsuccessful design.
Dr Stephens said a parliamentary committee report had noted the memorials did not fit within relevant guidelines and represented a substantial alteration to the existing landscape. The guidelines provided that ''a commemorative proposal must not duplicate the themes or subject matter of an existing commemorative site'', yet the proposed memorials would duplicate the role and function of the Australian War Memorial.
