Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall MP outside the former Armidale Courthouse.
Thursday, 14 February 2019
THE State Heritage Listing of the former Armidale Courthouse has moved a step closer, with the Heritage Council of NSW accepting its nomination and calling for public submissions, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announced today.
Mr Marshall said the Heritage Council met last week to consider the application to list the almost 160-year-old public building on the State Heritage Register.
“The Council accepted the nomination of the courthouse and deemed it could have state significance,” Mr Marshall said.
“Before recommending to the Minister that the property be added to the register, the Heritage Council is required to call for public submissions to gauge the views of the local community.
“I urge members of the local community who have an interest to make a submission in the coming weeks when the Heritage Council puts out the call.”
Mr Marshall said he was pleased the State Heritage Register Committee of the Heritage Council had accepted the nomination of the courthouse.
“The former Armidale Courthouse and Sheriff’s Cottage is a landmark in Armidale and the New England and I’m pleased the steps to recognise its importance are progressing,” he said.
“The courthouse building has served the Armidale community well and while it no longer has a justice function, I hope we can give it the status it deserves as an important piece of our past.
“This is the first step in my goal to have the building transferred to Armidale Regional Council so new life can be breathed into this iconic building and precinct for community use.”
The Heritage Council of NSW has acknowledge that the former Courthouse significance due to:
- the oldest surviving public building in Armidale and the New England region;
- the architectural legacy of three prominent NSW Colonial Architects – Alexander Dawson, James Barnet and Walter Liberty Vernon; and
- a fine representative example of courthouse buildings in NSW, retaining many of the common characteristics of regional courthouse buildings.
Nominations for the State Heritage Register are assessed for state significance against established criteria. The Heritage Council considers a draft nomination before accepting the nomination and progressing to the public submissions stage.
The submissions are then considered before a recommendation can be made by the Heritage Council to the Minister for Heritage, who makes the final decision on listing.