Heritage Review 2024

Project Overview:

The City of Busselton has successfully secured a grant from the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage to conduct a thorough review of its Local Heritage Survey and Heritage List (formerly known as the Municipal Heritage Inventory). Under the Heritage Act 2018, all local governments in Western Australia are mandated to maintain a Local Heritage Survey (LHS). The LHS plays a crucial role in guiding local governments' decisions by reflecting local heritage values and facilitating the creation of a Heritage List or area, which identifies places to be preserved under the Local Planning Scheme.

This review is a major initiative by the City to honor and protect the historical landmarks within our community. It focuses on the cultural, architectural, and environmental treasures of our region, reinforcing our commitment to preserving our shared heritage for future generations.

The review process involves a comprehensive examination of existing documentation and listings, along with the consideration of new submissions. An external heritage consultant has been engaged to manage the review of the LHS and Heritage List.

In conjunction with the review of the Local Heritage Survey (LHS) and Heritage List, City officers have also updated the Local Planning Policy 4.3 - Heritage Conservation (LPP4.3). This policy provides development guidelines for properties listed on the City’s Heritage List. It complements the deemed provisions of the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations, which are incorporated into Local Planning Scheme No. 21 (LPS21).

The revision of LPP4.3 aims to ensure that the policy aligns with the Heritage Council’s Guidelines for Preparing a Local Planning Policy for Local Heritage and conforms to current legislation and procedures.

What's next?

The draft documentation was prepared in accordance with the guidelines established by the Heritage Council of Western Australia (HCWA). In July 2024, the City sought the Council's consent to advertise the documentation to the public, which was granted. Consequently, a consultation period was held throughout August 2024, lasting 21 days, allowing community members to provide their input and feedback.

After collecting this valuable community feedback, the City will undertake necessary revisions to the documentation to address the concerns and suggestions received. This revised documentation was then submitted to the Council for final adoption and endorsement.

During the Council meeting held on the 16th October 2024, the Council endorsed the Local Heritage Survey (LHS) and adopted the Heritage List along with Local Planning Policy 4.3 (LPP4.3) Heritage Conservation, incorporating only minor amendments. For those interested in further details, the agenda and relevant attachments are available on the City's website. The minutes from the Council meeting will also be published in due course.