The report was commissioned as a result of the Future Melbourne Committee asking in October to provide an assessment of the significant of the external and internal components of the Bourke Street site in the City.
On Wednesday July 2, the Heritage Council of Victoria had decided that the Palace Theatre was not of State significance. However it added that it was of cultural heritage significance at a local level and that it may warrant an individual listing in the Heritage Overlay.
Last week, following reports that the interior of the Palace was being demolished by site owner Jinshan Investment, Council management lodged a request with the Department of Planning, Local Government and Infrastructure to introduce interim internal heritage planning controls.
The heritage assessment recommends that “The building is significant at the local level (and) that interior controls be applied”. It also recommends that amendments be made to the Heritage Overlay which ticks the box titled “internal controls apply” and to the Central City Heritage Review adding a new Statement of Significance to the Palace Theatre.
It also recommends that the Future Melbourne Committee adopts the Statement of Significance, confirm the request that the Minister for Planning prepare and approve an Amendment to the Melbourne Planning Scheme to introduce interim internal heritage controls and prepare to introduce permanent heritage controls.
