Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00620:body:0:p75
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00620
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 204755–207643

planned landscape.
Figure 48 West Block: heritage curtilage, showing the curtilage extending toward East Block

Policy 11 Views and visual relationships
Views and visual relationships that support an understanding of the site's historical and aesthetic significance should be maintained.
West Block is a component of the Parliament House Secretariat group that is sited within the Parliamentary Triangle.  The area is characterised by generously-spaced buildings within a formal landscape setting.  Buildings are not the dominant features of this significant cultural landscape.
West Block shares a planning relationship with East Block; both are equidistant from the Land Axis.  The distance between the two buildings, and the topography of the area in between (Camp Hill) is such that there is little or no visual relationship between the two buildings as experienced on the ground.  There is, however, a line of sight between West Block and the rear of Old Parliament House, which should be maintained, at least in part.
As existing, key views of West Block are from Commonwealth Avenue, to the west.  This is a relatively recent condition: the dense wind-row plantings to the Avenue introduced by Charles Weston in the 1920s were removed in the 1980s.  West Block's west elevation, visible from Commonwealth Avenue, is the building's principal façade.  While West Block was designed to be seen in the round, and has the same architectural presentation to all sides, the west elevation has always been its principal address.
The view to West Block from the north, as established and framed by an axial walkway and avenue planting through the Parliamentary Gardens, also remains a key formal view to the building.  Visual continuity to the north elevation of West Block should be maintained from the axial walkway north of Queen Victoria Terrace.

Policy 12 Cyclical maintenance and remedial works to significant built fabric
Programs of priority maintenance, remedial works and cyclical maintenance should form the basis for on-going care of the significant built fabric at West Block, including the Dugout.
The fabric of historic buildings and fabric will deteriorate over time due to the effects of age, weather and use.  Poor maintenance can hasten the decline and decay of fabric, which can be expensive to rectify if not promptly addressed.  It may also result in the loss of significant heritage fabric which can in turn impact on the heritage values of the place.
The establishment of a cyclical maintenance programme will help to retard deterioration and, following any refurbishment works, to prevent future deterioration of restored original or introduced new material.  Broadly, the approach to maintenance should firstly be to maintain and ensure that the significant original and early fabric does not deteriorate further and secondly to maintain all existing fabric.  Ad