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3.3 Walmer Street Bridge - Nomination for the Victorian Heritage Register

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3.3 Walmer Street Bridge - Nomination for the Victorian Heritage Register Urban Planning Special Committee Agenda 23/03/2020 3 Presentation of officer reports 3.3 Walmer Street Bridge - Nomination for the Victorian Heritage Register Abstract On 20 January 2020, the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria recommended the Walmer Street Bridge be included as a Registered Place in the Victorian Heritage Register under the Heritage Act 2017 (Attachment 1). The recommendation has been made by the Executive Director on the basis of the bridge meeting Criterion A - Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. In the view of the Executive Director: “The Walmer Street Bridge allows the association with water supply systems, specifically the Dight’s Falls Scheme, to be understood better than most other places in Victoria. The bridge was constructed as an integral part of the scheme and remains a substantial and highly visible surviving remnant. Other major components of the scheme, including the pumping station at Dight’s Falls and the reservoir at Studley Park, no longer exist.” The recommendation by the Executive Director to the Heritage Council is being advertised from 24 January 2020 - 23 March 2020. Officers sought preliminary heritage advice with regard to the recommendation. The advice raised various issues which assisted officers in the review of the recommendation. An officer submission has been lodged by the deadline objecting to the recommendation prior to this report being considered by the UPSC. Officers have reviewed the recommendation and prepared a submission (Attachment 2) objecting to the recommendation, for the UPSC to consider and adopt on the following basis: Public safety and structural integrity issues associated with the existing bridge, particularly the land bridge on the northern side of the Yarra River. Surface rust is evident to 60-80% of the river bridge, with the river bridge having a useful life of 20 years. The northern land bridge in Boroondara is estimated to be 50 years old. The Walmer Street bridge is a key pedestrian and cycle route that needs to be upgraded to meet current and projected future usage. Inconsistency with the Boroondara Bicycle Strategy which specifically mentions the issues associated with the Walmer Street Bridge and Council’s advocacy to the Victorian Government to replace the bridge. The Dights Falls Scheme is not of State heritage significance as its role was primarily to convey water to the Royal Botanic Gardens for a limited period between the 1890s to the 1930s and did not play a State significant function. The bridge no longer performs the function as the original pipe which conveyed water has been disconnected. The Statement of Cultural Heritage Significance specifically mentions the north and south approach spans as having no heritage significance, despite both land bridges being included in the extent of the recommendation. The bridge is not considered to be a rare or notable example of a pipe bridge. City of Boroondara 3 Urban Planning Special Committee Agenda 23/03/2020 The comparative analysis included with the Executive Director’s recommendation does not sufficiently demonstrate State heritage significance of the Walmer Street Bridge. Officers recommend the submission be adopted by the UPSC and submitted to Heritage Council for consideration. Officers' recommendation That the Urban Planning Special Committee resolve to: 1. Endorse the submission (Attachment 2) objecting to the recommendation of the Executive Director Heritage Victoria, Mr Steven Avery, to the Heritage Council of Victoria to include the Walmer Street Bridge in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) as a place of State-level cultural significance. 2. Write to the Heritage Council Secretariat to advise of this resolution. City of Boroondara 4 Urban Planning Special Committee Agenda 23/03/2020 Responsible director: Shiran Wickramasinghe City Planning ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose The purpose of this report is to: 1. Inform the UPSC of the release of a recommendation to include the Walmer Street Bridge on the Victorian Heritage Register (Attachment 1). 2. Seek the UPSC’s endorsement of the submission lodged with the Heritage Council of Victoria objecting to the recommendation of the Executive Director Heritage Victoria to include the Walmer Street Bridge in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) as a place of State-level cultural significance (Attachment 2). 2. Policy implications and relevance to community plan and council plan Boroondara Community Plan 2017-27 The Boroondara Community Plan 2017-27 sets out the 10 year vision for Boroondara’s future based on values, aspirations and priorities important to the community. The Community Plan notes: Protect the heritage and respect the character of the City to maintain amenity and liveability while recognising the need for appropriate, well-designed development for future generations. The Community Plan includes Strategic Objective 1: Community services and facilities are high quality, inclusive and meet a variety of needs now and into the future. Strategy 1.6 states: ‘Create and maintain public areas, facilities, amenities, footpaths and spaces that are inviting, clean and appropriately lit to increase social connection and improve perceptions of safety.’ The Community Plan also includes Strategic Objective 5: Travel options that are connected, safe, accessible, environmentally sustainable and well- designed. Strategy 5.1 states: ‘Improve road safety for pedestrians, drivers and cyclists through infrastructure improvements, education and traffic management initiatives.’ Boroondara Bicycle Strategy The Boroondara Bicycle Strategy was prepared with the goal to increase the number of cyclists using Boroondara’s bicycle network and facilities. The Walmer Street Bridge is specifically mentioned in the Strategy in relation to off-road issues: ‘the crossing of Walmer Street on the Yarra Trail has poor visibility. The steps from the pipe bridge to Chandler Highway were also flagged as a problem.’ City of Boroondara 5 Urban Planning Special Committee Agenda 23/03/2020 The Strategy notes “The bridge is narrow, particularly on the north side and is uncomfortable for cyclists to cross; bi-directional movements can require dismount. High pedestrian volumes use the bridge, and conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians are likely.” The Strategy identifies an advocacy action to upgrade the Walmer Street Bridge with specific attention given to width, approach grades and lighting. The Strategy also notes “replacement of the bridge would also tie in with the State Government proposals to improve east west links including use of the Walmer Street Bridge.” Boroondara Planning Scheme The Boroondara Planning Scheme includes the Planning Policy Framework (PPF) and Local Planning Policy Framework (LPPF). In particular it includes the following Clauses: Clause 15.03-1 Heritage Conservation which seeks to ‘ensure the conservation of places of heritage significance’ by identifying, retaining and protecting places with identified heritage significance; Clause 21.04-5 - Built Environment and Heritage of the Municipal Strategic Statement which includes the objective ‘to identify and protect all individual places, objects and precincts of cultural, aboriginal, urban and landscape significance’; Clause 21.06-2 - Walking and Cycling - Objective 3: ‘to improve the bicycle network and the provision of end of trip facilities for cyclists.’ Strategy 3.1: Facilitate improvements to the regional cycling network. Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 The identification, assessment and protection of places of local heritage significance are supported by Outcome 4 of Plan Melbourne which seeks to ensure that ‘Melbourne is a distinctive and liveable city with quality design and amenity’. Policy 3.1.6 Support cycling for commuting notes “cycling is a growing means of transportation around inner Melbourne.” Policy 3.2.2 addresses “Create a network of cycling links for local trips.” 3. Background The Walmer Street Bridge spans the Yarra River at Walmer Street, Richmond and serves as a strategic link connecting the communities of Richmond, Abbotsford and Kew. The bridge was constructed in 1892. As a cycling route, the Walmer Street Bridge is identified in the Principal Bicycle Network in the Victorian Cycling Strategy 2018-28. The Walmer Street Bridge is a Bicycle Priority Route and forms part of a Strategic Cycling Corridor. The Walmer Street Bridge comprises three components: the land bridge in the City of Boroondara (managed by Boroondara City Council); the river bridge across the Yarra River (managed by Boroondara and Yarra City Councils) and the land bridge in the City of Yarra (managed by Yarra City Council). City of Boroondara 6 Urban Planning Special Committee Agenda 23/03/2020 The “main" river bridge is a single span steel overhead truss structure with a timber deck and is 2.3m wide (between the handrails) and is supported by two large masonry (brick) piers. The river bridge has serious corrosion concerns with surface rust evident to 60-80% of the bridge, and a useful life of 20 years. The northern land bridge in Boroondara with laminated timber beams is estimated to be 50 years old. The deck surface is asphalt and 1.73m wide. The main super structure is wooden with steel handrails. The southern land bridge is a steel truss bridge with timber decking and is 2.4m wide. There is an adjacent steel disabled ramp structure which sits on timber posts. The bridge is some 1.8m lower than the level of Walmer
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