The ACT Heritage Council has refused to reopen public consultation on the future of Northbourne Avenue's run-down public housing assets, despite a planned Supreme Court challenge from the National Trust.
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Last week the trust's ACT branch demanded a new consultation process be conducted by the government-appointed council after it was excluded in an unsuccessful administrative appeal.
The Heritage Council believes about 40 per cent of the 1960s precinct should be maintained while the National Trust has sought full protection for the Dickson Towers, Owen Flats, pair houses, three-storey flats and maisonettes.
The ACT government solicitor this week wrote to the National Trust to advise the Heritage Council would not revoke its original decision.
The trust is refusing to walk away from its threat of a new Supreme Court case over the decision and is currently considering its position.
Heritage Council chairman David Flannery said the council would await news of a possible new legal appeal.
The government wants to demolish the precinct to make way for more than 1100 privately owned apartments, with sales to net $60 million in federal government infrastructure bonuses for the light rail line project.
Development applications for the demolitions, as well as for the Bega and Allawah flats have been lodged. Plans are also under way for redevelopment of the
The dispute follows an ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruling that resulted in the trust being denied legal standing to argue for protection of the post-war international modernist-style homes designed by noted architect Sydney Ancher.
The trust was excluded from the original consultation process because it did not respond to the council's protection order until two days after the mandated four-week period.
Lawyers argued in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal that the trust had been unfairly excluded because the four weeks was advertised as ending on October 22 last year, when the ACT Heritage Act required submissions to be received by October 20.
The council was not required to reopen the public consultation period, despite its advertised date being incorrect.
This week the Heritage Council registered the former MLC Building on London Circuit for protection.
The building, currently named for Bright Consulting, was recognised for its exterior post-war international style, including a true curtain wall; ground floor columns; contrasting textures of glazing panels and large areas of brick as well as rectangular and cubiform shapes used throughout.
The 1958 design is the territory's best example of its style, the council said.
"It marked the start of the rapid post‐war growth of the city and became a landmark for progress and economic growth as a new way of designing and constructing buildings."
Provisional registration was also given to Belconnen's Rosebud Apiary, as well as to the Pine Island Homestead in Greenway and to Onyong's Grave Site at Tharwa.
The council recognised the Molonglo Valley's grinding grooves in Denman Prospect, the Birrigai Rock Shelter at Paddys River and Gossan Hill in Bruce, listing each on the territory's heritage register.
Braddon's NRMA Building, the Calvary Homestead ruin in Paddys River, grasslands at Lawson and Majura, Fairbridge Crescent in Ainslie and Redwood Grove in Majura were each found not to have sufficient heritage value to currently warrant protection by the council.
