Heritage Strategy
The identification of buildings and areas of heritage significance and the protection of these places in the Planning Scheme relies on studies and reports prepared for the former Cities of Prahran and Malvern, and more recently for the City of Stonnington.
Council's Heritage Strategy has evolved through three main stages.
Refer to the attached document showing the History of Heritage Precinct Protection in the City of Stonnington 1989-2009 in the Related Documents area.
Former Cities of Prahran and Malvern (heritage studies 1983-1993)
The former Cities of Prahran and Malvern prepared several conservation studies that provided the basis for the introduction of Urban Conservation Areas and the listing of individual buildings in the former Prahran and Malvern Planning Schemes.
Refer to the attached copies of the Key Heritage Strategy Documents (1983-1993) in the Related Documents area.
City of Stonnington Heritage Strategy (1994-2004)
After the amalgamation of the two former municipalities in 1994, the new City of Stonnington commissioned Bryce Raworth Pty Ltd (heritage consultants) to prepare a report to combine the findings of the former heritage studies and identify remaining individual buildings and areas with potential for protection in the Planning Scheme.
Council then prepared a Heritage Strategy Timeframe to manage the roll-out of a strategy to protect further buildings and areas in a seven stage program.
Refer to the attached copies of the Key Heritage Strategy Documents (1996-2004) in the Related Documents area.
Current City of Stonnington Heritage Strategy (2005 onwards)
Thematic Environmental History
In 2005, Council decided to prepare a Thematic Environmental History to underpin further work to identify places for heritage protection and appointed Context Pty Ltd to undertake the task. The report was adopted in July 2006. In March 2009, Context prepared the first Update Addendum to the Stonnington Thematic Environmental History. Refer Stonnington Thematic Environmental History.
Heritage Review Action Plan
Subsequently Council commissioned Maggie Baron to prepare a Heritage Review Strategy to provide Council with an overall framework for managing heritage related issues in the City. Informed by the recommendations of this report, Council adopted a Heritage Review Action Plan in December 2006. The Action Plan includes a set of actions related to the following issues:
Assessment methodology Data management Review of existing heritage citations Assessment of new places Planning scheme implementation Heritage management
Refer to the attached documents for progress on Council's Current Heritage Strategy Review (2006+) in the Related Documents area.
Heritage Precinct Gap Study (2006-9)
Council has prepared a Heritage Precinct Gap Study, to address gaps in the identification and protection of areas with potential heritage significance.
Council's Neighbourhood Character Study (2006) made recommendations for Neighbourhood Character Overlay/Heritage Overlay Investigation Areas. In September 2006 Bryce Raworth Pty Ltd (heritage consultants) made a preliminary assessment of those areas with potential heritage significance. Subsequently, Bryce Raworth was commissioned to prepare a municipal-wide gap study. An Interim Report was prepared in May 2008 and a Heritage Overlay Precincts Final Report was completed in March 2009. Council is currently rolling out a program for the inclusion of additional precincts in the Planning Scheme. Refer to separate Planning Scheme Amendment web pages for extracts from the Precinct Gap Study relevant to each amendment.
Refer to the attached documents related to the Council's Heritage Precinct Gap Study in the Related Documents area.
Heritage Assessment Principles and Practice
The following documents provide some background on the principles and practices used by Council in the assessment of places of heritage significance and in the preparation of Planning Scheme Amendments.
Refer to the attached document on Local Government Heritage Guidelines in the Related Documents area.
Refer to the following link to locate the General Practice Note - Strategic Assessment Guidelines for Preparing and Evaluating Planning Scheme Amendments - revised April 2008.
Refer to the following link to locate the Planning Practice Note - Applying the Heritage Overlay, February 1999
Refer to the Australian ICOMOS Burra Charter - 1999.
Refer to the following link to locate the Planning Schemes Heritage Provisions Review - Advisory Committee Report - August 2007.
Refer to the attached document for Council's summary of the Advisory Committee Recommendations in the Related Documents area.
Heritage Provisions and Policies
The Planning and Environment Act 1987 has an objective in Section 4 (1) (d) "to conserve and enhance those buildings, areas and places which are of scientific, aesthetic, architectural or historic interest or otherwise of special cultural value".
Places of heritage significance are identified and protected using provisions in the Planning Scheme, which also specifies the planning policy context and the requirements for planning permits.
State standard heritage provisions are included in:
Local (Stonnington) heritage provisions are included in:
Council also has a set of Heritage Guidelines, which provide guidance to restoration and redevelopment. Council is currently revising its Clause 22.04 Heritage Policy and its heritage Guidelines. Refer to the Council Report - 2 August 2010 in the related documents area.
Refer to the attached document in the Related Documents area.
Victorian Heritage Register
Some places listed in the Stonnington Planning Scheme are also on the Victorian Heritage Register (refer column in Clause 43.01s - Schedule to the Heritage Overlay). These places have been identified as of state significance under the Heritage Act 1995.
Heritage Victoria is responsible for assessing permit applications for these places and can provide guidance on proposals for restoration and redevelopment. Refer to the following links for Victorian Heritage Register and Heritage Victoria.
Specific Heritage Issues
Financial Issues
Heritage Victoria has reviewed a number of studies on the effect of heritage listings on property values (Heritage Listing and Property Valuations in Victoria - March 2001). This report includes the following finding: "Generally speaking, heritage controls do not affect property values for residential buildings, particularly buildings in precincts". Refer to the Heritage Victoria website under Forms & Guidelines/Funding.
Sustainability Conversions
The provisions of the Heritage Overlay do not prevent the installation of new sustainability measures in heritage places, which can be accommodated with due consideration to heritage impacts and other objectives. Refer to the 'Heritage Buildings and Energy Efficiency Regulations' and the 'Heritage and Sustainability Policy Note' in the Heritage Victoria website under Publications/Technical Information.