FAQs

Heritage listing means that the community is interested in physically retaining a heritage listed structure for the benefit of present and future generations. These can be for aesthetic, historical, social, cultural and scientific reasons. There are a range of maintenance provisions relating to both Local and State Heritage Items which permit owners to undertake works to these heritage items without the need to obtain development consent from Council or the NSW Heritage Council (who manage State Heritage Listed items).   As outlined below there are a range of positive incentives for owners of Local and State Heritage listed properties.

The Heritage Council of NSW has prepared the following Guide in terms of heritage listings: 

Heritage Listing Explained - compressed - 2011 update

Owners of local heritage listed properties cannot be compelled to maintain their heritage items under the provisions of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.   There are, however, considerable incentives for owners of locally listed heritage items to maintain their heritage listed properties, listed under the Environmental Heritage Schedule of Hawkesbury Local Environmental Plan 2012:

Heritage Incentive Clause: Clause 5.10.10 of Hawkesbury Local Environmental Plan 2012 permits, subject to certain conditions being satisfied, Hawkesbury City Council to allow any purpose for a building or the land on which a heritage item is located, even though that purpose may otherwise be prohibited under the standard land use zoning provisions of that plan.

Hawkesbury Local Heritage Assistance Fund: Hawkesbury City Council financially assists the maintenance and restoration of locally heritage listed properties, generally on a dollar-for-dollar grant basis.  This funding program is partly supported by funding from the NSW Heritage Office.

Free Heritage Advisory Service: Council maintains a free heritage advisory service to assist owners of heritage item owners with targeted, best-practice information on how to maintain and potentially restore their heritage listed property.  This service is part funded by the NSW Heritage Office. Council has access to a highly experienced consultant Heritage Advisor to help administer this service.  There are no limits on the number of times that local heritage item owners can utilise this free service.

State Heritage Listed properties have access to a wide range of State Funding support including Emergency Funding in response to floods etc. For further details please see:

Heritage grants | Heritage | Environment and Heritage

There are standard exemptions relating to State Heritage listed properties which permit works to proceed on State Heritage listed properties without the need to obtaining approval from the NSW Heritage Council.

 Unlike local heritage items the NSW Heritage Council can require that a State    Heritage listed item be maintained to a minimum standard.

The statutory process for local heritage listings includes mandatory public   consultation provisions. All owners will have an opportunity to advise Council if they support the local heritage listing of their barn or not. A similar opportunity will be provided to property owners in relation to State Heritage listing proposals.

Yes, the following provides details of State heritage grants that are available:

Heritage grants | Heritage | Environment and Heritage

Yes. It is also timely to advise that as part of Council’s Local Heritage Assistance Fund grant program for 2025, a significant amount of funding will be available to owners of timber slab barns and timber slab outbuildings to carry out restoration works to assist in the preservation of the heritage item.

Applications and information regarding this grant funding will be available from Wednesday 29 January 2025 at:

Heritage | Hawkesbury City Council