FAQs
1. What is heritage?
Heritage means different things to different people, however in local government, heritage generally means the places, stories and objects that we want to share, promote and protect as a community for future generations.
2. What does heritage mean for development?
If a place appears on the Local Heritage Survey (LHS), there is no change to the normal development processes and requirements, as the Local Heritage Survey does not have a statutory implication for planning and development.
If a property is on the City Planning Scheme Heritage List, applications for development which respects the heritage significance of the place will generally be supported. Each heritage place is unique, and applications are assessed on individual needs and merit. The City offers free advice and support, so if you are considering works, please contact the City on info@cityofperth.wa.gov.au for further guidance.
3. How frequently is the review completed?
The City of Perth will undertake a general review five to eight years after the previous review. This is in line with the suggested timeframe in the Guidelines for Local Heritage Surveys published by Department Planning, Lands and Heritage. The information contained in the LHS can be corrected or amended between general reviews to ensure it is current.
4. When did the City last undertake a survey?
The City formally adopted the Municipal Heritage Inventory in 2001. These places were also included on the City’s Heritage List.
Since then the priority was to maintain the Heritage List which has been revised in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2013 respectively. Additional updates were made to the Heritage List through normalisation of Development WA areas in 2015 and individual owner nomination.
The new Heritage Act 2018 provided a catalyst for the City to update the Local Heritage Survey and to engage with the community to understand and discover the significant places within the City.
5. What is a Heritage List?
The Heritage List is a different document and process to that of the Local Heritage Survey. A Heritage List is included in the City’s Planning Scheme 2 and is generally a smaller list of places based on the LHS. It usually includes only the most significant places. Unlike the LHS, the Heritage List is legally binding and connects to planning laws.
The Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 states that the local government must establish and maintain a heritage list to identify places within the Scheme area that are of cultural heritage significance and worthy of built heritage conservation.
6. How did the City evaluate nominations?
Nominations were assessed during August 2021 using an industry standard common across Australia to consider local, state and national heritage. These standards are known as ‘HERCON’, which were developed at the National Heritage Convention in 1998.
The process of assessment ensured places are represented throughout the City’s neighbourhoods and that a diverse range of place types are considered (see definition of place in the Guidelines for Local Heritage Surveys document).
7. What happens now that my property is on the LHS?
A place record form for each nominated place has been written which contains a short history, physical description, an assessment against the HERCON factors and a statement summarizing its significance.
If your place is included in the LHS the place record form will be publicly available; it will contain only information that is already available through public records and will not contain any identifying information about the current owners.
8. What are the benefits of being included in the LHS?
There are no monetary benefits to owners of places included on the Local Heritage Survey, however every place identified as part of the survey helps paint a picture of the City’s unique history. If your place has been included on the LHS, you can access specialist advice from City of Perth staff regarding works and sources of information on the history of the place. Should you wish to contact the City please do so via info@cityofperth.wa.gov.au
Inclusion of a place on the Local Heritage Survey does not have a statutory implication for planning and development. The LHS is simply a list of places which have been identified as having cultural heritage significance.
9. Can the City make property owners carry out works to heritage properties?
If a place is in disrepair and deemed unsafe, the City will contact the property owner to discuss the issues. If works do not occur to repair the building, as a last resort, the City can issue a written notice for specific works to be carried out.
The Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 provide local governments with this authority.