Do I Need a Heritage Consultant?
If you own, manage, or are planning to develop a property in Sydney or NSW that has heritage significance, you may need the services of a qualified heritage consultant. Heritage requirements can apply to properties you might not expect, including those within Heritage Conservation Areas that are not individually heritage listed.
Understanding when professional heritage advice is required — and when it is simply beneficial — can save time, money, and frustration during the planning and development process.
When You Definitely Need a Heritage Consultant
In the following situations, engaging a heritage consultant is essential:
Your Property Is Heritage Listed
If your property is listed as a heritage item on your local council's Local Environmental Plan (LEP) or on the NSW State Heritage Register, most types of development will require a Statement of Heritage Impact prepared by a qualified heritage consultant. This applies to alterations, additions, demolition (partial or full), new construction on the site, and changes of use.
Your Property Is in a Heritage Conservation Area
Heritage Conservation Areas (HCAs) protect the collective heritage character of an area, not just individual buildings. If your property is within an HCA, proposed external works that are visible from the public domain will typically require heritage assessment. This includes front fences, facades, roofing, and new construction. Council Development Control Plans (DCPs) contain specific guidelines for development within HCAs.
You Are Developing Near a Heritage Item
If your proposed development is in the vicinity of a heritage item and may affect its setting, views, or heritage significance, you may need a heritage impact assessment. This is particularly relevant for properties adjacent to heritage items where new construction could impact the heritage streetscape or curtilage.
Council Has Requested Heritage Documentation
If your council has requested a Statement of Heritage Impact, Heritage Assessment, or Conservation Management Plan as part of a development application or pre-DA consultation, you will need a heritage consultant to prepare these documents.
When Heritage Advice Is Recommended
Even when not strictly required, heritage advice can be valuable in these situations:
- —Pre-purchase due diligence: Before buying a property that may have heritage constraints, a heritage consultant can advise on what development is likely to be permissible and identify potential challenges.
- —Early design stages: Engaging a heritage consultant during concept design can avoid costly redesigns later in the process when heritage issues are raised by council.
- —Adaptive reuse projects: Converting heritage buildings to new uses requires an understanding of heritage values and how they can be maintained while accommodating contemporary requirements.
- —Disputing a heritage listing: If you believe your property has been incorrectly heritage listed, a heritage consultant can prepare a submission to council or a heritage review panel.
What Does a Heritage Consultant Do?
A heritage consultant provides expert advice on the significance, management, and development of heritage places. Their services typically include:
- —Preparing Statements of Heritage Impact for development applications
- —Conducting heritage assessments to determine significance
- —Preparing Conservation Management Plans for complex heritage sites
- —Providing design advice for development on or near heritage properties
- —Archival recording and documentation of heritage buildings
- —Heritage interpretation strategies and historical research
- —Appearing as Expert Witnesses in the NSW Land & Environment Court
The Cost of Not Getting Heritage Advice
Proceeding with development without appropriate heritage advice can lead to:
- —Refusal of your development application, requiring redesign and re-submission
- —Requests for additional information (RFIs) that delay the assessment process
- —Stop-work orders if unauthorised work is carried out on a heritage property
- —Penalties under the Heritage Act 1977 for damaging or demolishing heritage items without approval
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need a heritage consultant for renovations?
- If your property is heritage listed or located within a Heritage Conservation Area, you will likely need a heritage consultant to prepare a Statement of Heritage Impact (SHI) as part of your development application. Even for minor works such as painting, fencing, or window replacement, council may require heritage documentation. Check your council's heritage schedule or contact the planning department to confirm whether your property is affected by heritage controls.
- How do I know if my property is heritage listed?
- You can check whether your property is heritage listed by searching the NSW Heritage Inventory at heritage.nsw.gov.au, checking your local council's LEP heritage schedule (usually available on the NSW Legislation website or your council's planning maps), or contacting your council's planning department directly. Properties can be listed at local level (on the LEP), state level (on the State Heritage Register), or both.
- Can a heritage consultant help me get approval faster?
- Yes. A heritage consultant can identify potential heritage issues early in the design process, helping you avoid costly redesigns after lodging your DA. We can also advise on design approaches that are more likely to be supported by council heritage officers, and prepare documentation that directly addresses council requirements, reducing the likelihood of requests for additional information.
- What qualifications should a heritage consultant have?
- Look for consultants with formal qualifications in heritage conservation, architecture, or a related discipline. Relevant qualifications include postgraduate degrees in heritage conservation, membership of professional bodies such as Australia ICOMOS, and experience preparing heritage reports for local councils and Heritage NSW. Both directors at Trace Heritage hold postgraduate qualifications from the University of Sydney.
Contact our team to discuss your heritage project requirements.
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