The City of Whittlesea has been a settling point for people for centuries.
The landscape around us is constantly changing as existing communities develop and new ones
are established.
This change is happening faster now than ever before.
While a lot of what we see on a daily basis is new, there are many places that connect
us to our past.
These include sacred sites and meeting places, historic buildings and gardens, trees and
landscapes.
Many of these will mean different things to different people, but they are important to
our community's identity and character and an irreplaceable part of our heritage.
Council is committed to identifying, protecting and celebrating the city's heritage.
Various Council departments are responsible for identifying and looking after our heritage
assets to ensure that they can be understood, experienced and enjoyed by current and future
generations.
Some heritage places in the City of Whittlesea are already recognised as important at a state
and national level and are protected by the State Government, with support from Council.
There are also heritage places that are locally significant and are the responsibility of
Council to protect.
An important tool that Council can use to protect these places is the Heritage Overlay.
As a Planning Authority, Council refers to the Whittlesea Planning Scheme in deciding
whether to allow development and building work to go ahead and what restrictions and
conditions, if any, should be included in planning permits.
All property and land falls under a planning zone that determines what building work and
development can go ahead in that area.
A Heritage Overlay simply means that additional planning permit requirements may apply to
a property in order to protect its recognised heritage features.
Occasionally, Council may need to apply the Heritage Overlay to protect new places.
To do this, Council must prepare a Statement of Significance that outlines why the Heritage
Overlay is required, and identifies the important heritage features that should be kept.
This Statement of Significance will be developed by a qualified heritage consultant.
Council will then contact the owner directly so that you can review the Statement of Significance
for your property and discuss with us what this will mean for you.
Making sure that heritage places retain their important features has to be balanced with
the need to ensure that they continue to be attractive, comfortable and functional places
for people.
Having a Heritage Overlay does not mean you have to make changes or undertake restoration
activities to your property.
Nor does it stop you from carrying out renovations and extensions.
The Heritage Overlay simply means that owners need to consider the property's heritage significance
in planning any alterations including:
Demolishing or removing all or part of a building or structure,
Constructing a new building or adding on to an existing building,
Altering the outside of a building, including changing its colour,
Constructing or displaying a sign, or
Subdividing or consolidating land.
Before carrying out works, you should contact Council's Strategic Planning Department to
confirm your permit requirements and what you need to do to preserve the heritage significance.
Council is here to help you understand what the Heritage Overlay means for you and your
property.
If a planning permit is required, we can explain what the heritage features are on your property,
what you can do to protect them, and what information you will need to provide with
your planning permit application.
We also offer a free Heritage Advisory Service for residents with more complex projects.