After years of input and encouragement, the President of the Kiama & District Historical Society, Sue Eggins, is very pleased with the changes being mooted to the Chapter of the Kiama DCP that deals with Heritage.

“We gave them a starting point and they have built on it,” she says.

“It is a comprehensive document that will protect the urban history of the oldest bit of Kiama.”

The Draft Heritage Chapter, on exhibition until 28 March, proposes:

• 12 new items to join the Heritage Register
• extending the existing Pheasant Point Heritage Conservation Area (HCA). [HCAs are streetscapes, suburbs, areas and precincts that are recognised by a community for their distinctive historic character.]
• two new HCA – one along Manning and Terralong Sts (the Civic HCA); and one that covers a residential area between Bong Bong and Barney Sts (the Smiths Farm HCA).

In addition, it incorporates overarching objectives and detailed provisions which aim to ensure the conservation of heritage in Kiama, whilst allowing appropriate change to occur.

“It is providing much more guidance on the type of development that can occur both to a listed property and in a heritage area,” says Council’s Manager Strategic Planning, Ed Patterson.

“For the individually listed items within the DCP at the moment, it really just says ‘new development should harmonise with its surroundings’ and ‘you need to have careful consideration...’

“It doesn’t actually provide any clear guidance on what that may mean and how that’s to occur.”

Drop-in sessions have been organised for people with properties affected by the new Heritage Chapter, so that staff explain what the changes would mean.

Aware of people’s concerns that they won’t be able to make changes to their properties, Mr Patterson says, “There’s still a lot of work that can be done on heritage listed properties and properties within the heritage conservation areas, without the need to go down a DA path.

“For properties that are within the HCAs, pretty much everything inside and in the backyard can still be

 you don’t need a DA.

“But on the front of the building, you may just need to come in through our minor works policy, write us a letter and tell us what you’re doing and we’ll give you the green light.

“Changes to heritage listed properties, are going to need a lot more careful consideration, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t still get a good outcome.”

He likens it to being on bushfire listed or flood-prone land, “It doesn’t mean no development can occur, it means that you’ve got to have additional points of consideration.”

Council deliberately developed the Draft Town Centre Study (featured in our last edition) and the Heritage

review together, as they will work so closely to guide future development.

“If someone is coming in to do redevelopment in the town centre, within a conservation area, they are going to have to lift their game even higher,” says Mr Patterson.

“For example, for those properties on Terralong St that are within the proposed conservation area, it’s still saying four storeys is possible, but the fourth has to be recessed back so you can’t see it.

“In Manning St – given the number of listed items and state items and the street’s falling topography – developments

will need to be two storeys at the front, so that we can still get the views of the heritage buildings.

“Any third or fourth storeys are fully subject to heritage considerations, rather than being a given.”

The draft Heritage Chapter, available on Council’s website, gives the consultant’s assessment of the heritage value of various properties on its inventory sheets.

“That’s where a lot of the really interesting history around the properties is,” says Mr Patterson.

“We’re not just saying ‘we want to list your property as it’s a nice looking building’ – it’s the history behind it that

we want to celebrate.”

Various incentives are available to property owners to help conserve local history.

Public exhibition ends 28 March.

Details at www.kiama.nsw.gov.au