What is significance?

What is heritage significance? Presented by Ian Boersma Works Manager, Heritage Tasmania; at Heritage: Everything for Local Planning (HELP) annual forum; Campbell Town, on 19 September 2013.

heritage significance

What is heritage significance? A quality, commonly ascribed to old buildings.

heritage significance

What is heritage significance? A quality, commonly ascribed to old buildings.

What about the Sydney opera house, Aboriginal art in the Burrup Peninsula, the Great Barrier Reef, or the Thylacine skin rug recently acquired by TMAG?

heritage significance

What is heritage significance? The special level of meaning that elevates, above the ordinary, a thing that we want to keep and pass on to future generations.

heritage significance

What is heritage significance? The special level of meaning that elevates, above the ordinary, a thing that we want to keep and pass on to future generations.

… and how is it relevant to planners? Places of special meaning enrich our lives, and should therefore be managed so that they remain meaningful. The retention, alteration or loss of such places have a social effects, which means that planners need to have regard for them in carrying out their responsibilities under the RMPS.

heritage significance

What is heritage significance? The special level of meaning that elevates, above the ordinary, a thing that we want to keep and pass on to future generations.

… and how is it relevant to planners? Places of special meaning enrich our lives, and should therefore be managed so that they remain meaningful. The retention, alteration or loss of such places have a social effects, which means that planners need to have regard for them in carrying out their responsibilities under the RMPS.

heritage significance

Enrich

(general term)

Meaning or Interest

(general terms)

Value

“heritage values”

Significant

“heritage significance”

heritage significance

Enrich

(general term)

Meaning or Interest

(general terms)

Value

“heritage values”

Significant

“heritage significance”

heritage significance

Enrich

(general term)

Meaning or Interest

(general terms)

Value

“heritage values”

Significant

“heritage significance”

Cultural heritage as distinct from to natural heritage Historic heritage as distinct from Aboriginal heritage

heritage significance

… and (again) how is it relevant to planners?

heritage significance

… and (again) how is it relevant to planners?

Schedule 1 to the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 clearly spells this out in objective (g): (g) to conserve those buildings, areas or other places which are of scientific, aesthetic, architectural or historical interest, or otherwise of special cultural value;

It is also implicit in objectives (c) and (f): (c) to ensure that the effects on the environment are considered and provide for explicit consideration of social and economic effects when decisions are made about the use and development of land; (f) to secure a pleasant, efficient and safe working, living and recreational environment for all Tasmanians and visitors to Tasmania;

heritage significance

Schedule 1 to the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 clearly spells this out in objective (g): (g) to conserve those buildings, areas or other places which are of scientific, aesthetic, architectural or historical interest, or otherwise of special cultural value;

Why these particular points of “interest”? It is also implicit in objectives (c) and (f): (c) to ensure that the effects on the environment are considered and provide for explicit consideration of social and economic effects when decisions are made about the use and development of land; (f) to secure a pleasant, efficient and safe working, living and recreational environment for all Tasmanians and visitors to Tasmania;

heritage significance

Definition provided by the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, Article 1.2 Cultural significance means aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past, present or future generations. Cultural significance is embodied in the place itself, its fabric, setting, use, association, meanings, records, related places and related objects.

Places may have a range of values for different individuals or groups.

heritage significance

Definition provided by the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, Article 1.2 Cultural significance means aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past, present or future generations. Cultural significance is embodied in the place itself, its fabric, setting, use, association, meanings, records, related places and related objects.

Places may have a range of values for different individuals or groups.

Definition in the Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995: Historic cultural heritage significance, in relation to a place, means significance to any group or community in relation to the archaeological, architectural, cultural, historical, scientific, social or technical value of the place.

heritage significance

The points of “interest” found in the objectives and again in these two definitions of cultural significance are more widely known as heritage “values”. The values listed in these two definitions are:

Burra Charter

Heritage Act

aesthetic historic scientific social spiritual

architectural cultural historical archaeological scientific technical social

heritage significance

These “values” can be expanded into statements of meaning that a thing (ie: place) might possess.

heritage significance

These “values” can be expanded into statements of meaning that a thing (ie: place) might possess. They are the basis for any assessment of significance.

heritage significance

These “values” can be expanded into statements of meaning that a thing (ie: place) might possess. They are the basis for any assessment of significance. We speak of them as “criteria” for the assessment of significance.

heritage significance

These “values” can be expanded into statements of meaning that a thing (ie: place) might possess. They are the basis for any assessment of significance. We speak of them as “criteria” for the assessment of significance. These criteria are found in section 16 of the Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995.

heritage significance

Criterion (a): It is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Tasmania’s history

heritage significance

Criterion (b): It demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Tasmania’s heritage

heritage significance

Criterion (c): It has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Tasmania’s history

heritage significance

Criterion (d): It is important as a representative in demonstrating the characteristics of a broader class of cultural places

heritage significance

Criterion (e): It is important in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement

heritage significance

Criterion (f): It has strong or special meaning for any group or community because of social, cultural or spiritual associations

heritage significance

Criterion (g): It has a special association with the life or work of a person, a group or organisation that was important in Tasmania’s history

heritage significance

It is recognized that heritage places have different level of significance, and are managed accordingly:

heritage significance Further reading: