Cultural heritage planning : a new perspective

Local government plays a vital role in the conservation of cultural heritage. At one level it has a strategic planning role to develop cultural heritage policy to guide local area responses to heritage issues. It has an educative role to generate activities and programs to promote a greater understanding of cultural heritage. It also has the protective powers of statutory regulations; planning schemes and legislation. Whereas in principle, planning schemes provide the best opportunity for front line defence against poor cultural heritage practices, the reality is that they do not always provide an adequate level of protection. Some Tasmanian planning schemes have comprehensive provisions and current heritage lists, others are poorly drafted and vague, while some contain no cultural heritage provisions whatsoever. In recent years, state legislation has strengthened the role of local government to protect cultural heritage places through the introduction of the Resource !'1:1nagement and Planning System (RMPS) in 1993 and the proclamation of the Historic Culturnl Heritage Act 1995 (HCHA) in February 1997. However, it has also introduced additional and complex administrative procedures. Consequently, local government does not always have the best mechanisms for effective cultural heritage planning.