The body that oversees the Australian War Memorial gives a controversial $500 million plan to redevelop the museum approval for early works, despite an influx of public submissions against the project.
memorial's director last year defended the renovation which would see the 20-year-old Anzac Hall replacedThis morning, the National Capital Authority — tasked with granting the project's final approval — cleared the way for early works to begin.Public consultation generated most submissions in NCA's historyThe NCA's chief executive Sally Barnes said the public consultation process received 601 submissions — the most in the authority's history.
"We've put some conditions in the approval that [the War Memorial] must increase the number of trees that will be on that site at the end of the works." "With this change noted, the NCA has concluded the proposal is not inconsistent with the National Capital Plan and the works have been approved," the NCA said.