Council denies Longford Library's book return chute, asks it to be re-bricked

The Northern Midlands Council rejected the DA at its September meeting on heritage grounds, despite the council's own heritage adviser and the Tasmanian Heritage Council not objecting to it.

The library at 55 Wellington Street is in a heritage listed building in Longford's heritage precinct. It installed a book chute, with a small returns sign on it earlier this year.

Councillor Jan Davis said the council's approval, as the owner of the building, should have been sought prior to the DA being lodged and the chute installed.

"If I were a tenant and I went and punched holes in the front door of a property that I didn't own, the landlord would have some reason to be ... quite huffed about it," she said.

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Prior to the council's decision, heritage adviser David Denman said it was minor works in a section of the building that had previously been altered.

"The chute has low visual impact on the historic cultural heritage value of the overall facade," he said.

"The prominent location is important for access and safety. This work is easily reversible if or when the library use was to cease. The low historic impact of the works is confirmed by the Tasmanian Heritage Council, who has registered no interest in this work."

Two public representations were lodged against the chute, citing it had already been installed and stating, due to the library building's heritage value, a better spot for it would be at the building's rear.

However, the council's senior planner Paul Godier said the fact the installation had already occurred was not a ground for refusal.

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