The University of Cape Town is offering a new UCT certificated short course on heritage law
Heritage Law and Its Administration
An Advanced Course
Monday mornings, 29 April to 27 May 2024, Exam date: to be announced
Objectives
This five-morning ‘remote’ course is aimed at improving the knowledge of professionals (lawyers, heritage practitioners, town planners, architects, both heritage and land-use officials, and decision-makers) who are already experienced in the submission, scrutiny and decision-making regarding development applications required under the heritage laws (the National Heritage Resources Act and municipal planning by-laws). It is designed to deepen the knowledge of course participants of the applicable and associated laws and to explore the administration and operation of these laws in South Africa by exploring current practice and decision-making in the Western Cape and in the courts.
On completion of the course participants will be able to:
Course Content
The contents of the course will include:
- a review of the administrative processes/procedures adopted by the provincial heritage resources authority, Heritage Western Cape, in the administration of applications emphasising the most often troublesome interpretations
- a review of the public and I&AP consultation processes ordinarily required
- a detailed discussion and analysis of several decisions of both the MEC’s Tribunal and of the High and Supreme Court of Appeal
- a detailed review of the factors (and rights) to be taken into account in assessment and consequential decision-making
Course Convenor and Lecturers
The course convenor, Dr Stephen Townsend, graduated in architecture in Cape Town, completed a diploma in conservation studies at the University of Rome (equivalent to a Masters degree) and a PhD at UCT. He has worked as an architect; as an administrator of land use- and of heritage-related regulations at the Cape Town City Council; and as the CEO of Heritage Western Cape; and he was appointed to the Heritage Western Cape Council in 2010 for a three-year term and chaired its Impact Assessment Committee, and served on its Built Environment and Landscape Committee (BEL Comm) and its Inventories and Grading Committee. He also established the MPhil in Conservation of the Built Environment degree at UCT (from 2009) and ran it for ten years. He now consults and has served on MEC’s Tribunals.
The lectures/seminars will be presented by specialists in the field (lawyers and heritage specialists; see the attached programme), all of whom have represented parties to applications to, in particular, Heritage Western Cape’s Appeals Committee, to the MEC’s Tribunals, and in the courts.
Course Information