Australian Capital Territory
Heritage (Decision about Provisional Registration of 24 Cobby Street, Campbell) Notice 2008 (No 1)*
Notifiable Instrument NI2008— 68
made under the
Heritage Act 2004 s34 Notice of decision about Provisional Registration

1.	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Heritage (Decision about Provisional Registration of 24 Cobby Street, Campbell) Notice 2008 (No 1).

2.	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after notification.

3.	Notice of Decision
Pursuant to Section 34 of the Heritage Act 2004 the ACT Heritage Council has decided not to provisionally register 24 Cobby Street, Campbell.

…………………………….
Dr Michael Pearson
Chair ACT Heritage Council
GPO Box 158, Canberra ACT 2602

 6 March 2008

STATEMENT OF REASONS

DECISION REGARDING THE INCLUSION OF 24 COBBY STREET (BLOCK 1, SECTION 45, CAMPBELL) IN THE ACT HERITAGE REGISTER

Background
24 Cobby Street (Block 1, Section 45, Campbell) was nominated to the interim ACT Heritage Places Register in 2000 based on a Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) Register of Significant Twentieth Century Architecture citation of 1995. Council advised the owners of acceptance of the nomination on 30 March 2000.
 
Council did not accord a priority to the assessment, and it remained in the backlog of nominated places until it was assessed as part of the Nominated Interim Heritage Place Register Project in 2004-05.  The nomination has now been considered and at Meeting 18 on 6 March 2008, the ACT Heritage Council endorsed a Statement of Reasons which does not find 24 Cobby Street, Campbell, eligible for provisional registration (heritage listing) due to extensive alterations and additions since the nomination of the place that has resulted in the loss of significant fabric.  

Detailed reasoning of why 24 Cobby Street, Campbell, does not meet the threshold for listing under the heritage criteria at Section 10 of the Heritage Act 2004 is included under Assessment.

Assessment
The Council’s assessment against the criteria specified in s.10 of the Heritage Act 2004 is as follows.

In assessing the nomination for 24 Cobby Street, Campbell, the Council considered:

•	The original nomination form provided by the nominator 
•	The 2004-05 assessment as part of the Nominated IHPR Assessment Project 
•	The original working drawings.
•	Plans held by ACPLA on relevant property files.
•	Materials held on file by Council on the Assessment File 00/03629.

It should be noted that the nominator addressed only three of the criteria at the time of nomination in 1995, and only these were reviewed in 2004-05 as part of the Nominated IHPR Assessment Project.

In relation to the place:

Criterion (a) it demonstrates a high degree of technical or creative achievement (or both), by showing qualities of innovation, discovery, invention or an exceptionally fine level of application of existing techniques or approaches

The nominator made no claim against this criterion.

Heritage Council assessment:  
24 Cobby Street, Campbell, does not meet the threshold for heritage listing under this criterion.

Criterion (b) it exhibits outstanding design or aesthetic qualities valued by the community or a cultural group

The nominator indicated the values against this criterion as: 
The house exhibits the particular architectural elements peculiar to the post War international Style including cubiform overall shape and large sheets of glass.

It also displays elements peculiar to the Post War Melbourne Regional Style including widely projecting eaves and long unbroken roof line.

The dramatic play of contrasting non rectangular shapes against cubiform overall shapes is a major theme throughout the Post War International style.

The rational open planning, detail and finishes, and the cantilevered balcony with its simple attenuated balustrade are design features that are of additional interest.

The house is unaltered and a good example of Grounds’ work where he was successful in combining the regional content of Melbourne architecture with the International Style.

The residence is well detailed and well built and is valued by the RAIA as a good example of this style of architecture by a prominent Australian architect.

Heritage Council assessment:
24 Cobby Street, Campbell, does not meet the threshold for heritage listing under this criterion.  The place has been considerably changed from its original design and does not meet the threshold for heritage listing under this criterion.  In extremely generic terms the building still displays elements characteristic of both styles, but they are largely a 2004 interpretation of the style, with modern materials and detailing.

The play of contrasting non rectangular shapes against cubiform overall shapes is diminished by the loss of clarity of the original L-shaped form due to extensive additions in three directions which increase the original floor space by 50%. Of particular detrimental impact is the manner in which the garage addition obscures the view of the curved courtyard wall from the public domain.

A significant amount of both interior and exterior detailing has been removed, including original exterior finishes, joinery, wall panelling, sliding screens, kitchen, bathroom and laundry fit outs. The majority of both exterior and interior finishes have been replaced with modern finishes.

The effect of the cantilevered balcony has been diminished by the location of the garage addition and roof terrace beside it. The original balustrade has been replaced with modern detailing.

The alterations adversely impact on the significance of the original house. It is substantially not the 1965 Roy Grounds designed building.

Criterion (c) it is important as evidence of a distinctive way of life, taste, tradition, religion, land use, custom, process, design or function that is no longer practised, is in danger of being lost or is of exceptional interest

The nominator made no claim against this criterion.

Heritage Council assessment:
24 Cobby Street, Campbell, does not meet the threshold for heritage listing under this criterion.

Criterion (d) it is highly valued by the community or a cultural group for reasons of strong or special religious, spiritual, cultural, educational or social associations

The nominator made no claim against this criterion.

Heritage Council assessment:  
24 Cobby Street, Campbell, does not meet the threshold for heritage listing under this criterion.

Criterion (e) it is significant to the ACT because of its importance as part of local Aboriginal tradition

The nominator made no claim against this criterion.

Heritage Council assessment:  
There is no evidence that 24 Cobby Street, Campbell, is significant to the Aboriginal community.

Criterion (f) it is a rare or unique example of its kind, or is rare or unique in its comparative intactness
The nominator made no claim against this criterion.

Heritage Council assessment:  
24 Cobby Street, Campbell, does not meet the threshold for heritage listing under this criterion.

Criterion (g) it is a notable example of a kind of place or object and demonstrates the main characteristics of that kind

The nominator made no claim against this criterion.

Heritage Council assessment:  
24 Cobby Street, Campbell, does not meet the threshold for heritage listing under this criterion.

Criterion (h) it has strong or special associations with a person, group, event, development or cultural phase in local or national history

The nominator indicated the values against this criterion as: 

The building is significant for its association with its architect, Sir Roy Grounds. 

Sir Roy Grounds (1905-81) is recognised as one of Australia’s leading architects of the modern movement and a key practitioner of the Post war Melbourne regional style. He established his practice in Melbourne in 1932 after travelling in Europe and America.

He stopped practising in 1937 but later worked on defence buildings during World War Two and in 1954 formed the practice of Grounds, Romberg and Boyd Architects.

He was recognised as one of Melbourne’s and Australia’s leading architects of the modern movement and awarded the RAIA Gold medal in 1968 and knighted the same year.

Heritage Council assessment:  
24 Cobby Street, Campbell, does not meet the threshold for heritage listing under this criterion.  Whilst 24 Cobby Street, Campbell, is associated with its architect, Sir Roy Grounds, it is substantially not the same house as designed by Grounds.  There are four other more intact /significant examples of his work in Canberra.

Criterion (i) it is significant for understanding the evolution of natural landscapes, including significant geological features, landforms, biota or natural processes
The nominator made no claim against this criterion.

Heritage Council assessment:  
	This criterion is not applicable.

Criterion (j) it has provided, or is likely to provide, information that will contribute significantly to a wider understanding of the natural or cultural history of the ACT because of its use or potential use as a research site or object, teaching site or object, type locality or benchmark site

The nominator indicated the values against this criterion as: 
An excellent intact example of a combination of Post War International Style and Post War Melbourne Regional Style in its original landscape setting, the building provides a valuable resource for students in providing a wider understanding of the both styles and the work of Roy Grounds. 

Heritage Council assessment:  
24 Cobby Street, Campbell, does not meet the threshold for heritage listing under this criterion.  It is not considered that 24 Cobby Street, Campbell, has any potential to significantly inform on the cultural history of the ACT.  The house has been markedly changed since its original design and construction, and documentary records are held elsewhere to provide information on any unresolved research questions about the building and its original design.  

The place has been altered such that the majority of original details have been lost, meaning it is no longer a characteristic of its style, or illustrative of the work of Grounds in Canberra in the 1960s. As a result the actual building is no longer useful as an educational tool. However the surviving documentation of the original building, including drawings and photographs remain valuable in demonstrating its heritage significance. This documentation should be preserved and made available for study.

No 4 Cobby Street, at the other end of the street, now survives as the best, largely intact example of Grounds’ work in combining Post War International and Post War Melbourne Regional Styles in a private Canberra residence, and is thus the best educational tool in demonstrating the characteristics of the style and the particular nature of Grounds’ work.  

Criterion (k) for a place—it exhibits unusual richness, diversity or significant transitions of flora, fauna or natural landscapes and their elements
The nominator made no claim against this criterion.

Heritage Council assessment:  
	This criterion is not applicable.

Criterion (l) for a place—it is a significant ecological community, habitat or locality for any of the following:
(i) the life cycle of native species;
(ii) rare, threatened or uncommon species;
(iii) species at the limits of their natural range;
(iv) distinct occurrences of species

The nominator made no claim against this criterion.

Heritage Council assessment:  
	This criterion is not applicable.

Conclusion
The ACT Heritage Council finds that 24 Cobby Street, Campbell, is of insufficient heritage value to warrant provisional registration in the ACT Heritage Register.

Dr Michael Pearson (Chair)
ACT Heritage Council
6 March 2008