A Morpeth community group’s bid to have the historic town added to the state heritage list has progressed.
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The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage has met with Maitland council and visited the town as it considers the application.
Two representatives met with council’s urban growth manager Ian Shillington, development and environment manager David Sim and heritage officer Clare James.
Afterwards they met with Morpeth Heritage Conservation Group president Simon Brooker, member Alec Clements and resident Stephen Berry.
They had lunch with them at Savannah on Swan alongside the historic Morpeth bridge before a tour of the town’s landmarks, including those that are already on the heritage register.
They also took them to the Edwards Street site where Morpeth Land Company plans to turn part of the former Morpeth Bowling Club site into medium density seniors housing.
If the plan was approved, the development would sit alongside a childcare centre, which has been started within the former bowling club building.
President Simon Brooker said the state government delegates were very interested in Morpeth’s history.
“It was a very constructive meeting and one of very many steps to come in the process,” he said.
“These things can take a long time to progress so we won’t have an answer for some time.”
Mr Brooker urged Maitland council to back the group’s proposal and said the government could deny the request if it did not support the application.
He said a heritage listing would assist Morpeth in its ability to attract tourism to the town, which would have flow-on effects for the Maitland area.
The group submitted the application in September after speaking out about what it said was inappropriate development in the town.
It is the second time the group has called on the government to list the village on the register.
It argues the Morpeth Heritage Conservation Area, which surrounds the town, meets all of the state significance criteria.