Heritage and density

Local heritage items in Ku-ring-gai embody the history, identity and distinctiveness of this part of Sydney. Ku-ring-gai’s heritage items are predominantly fine houses and gardens from the Federation to post-war periods of the twentieth century. A non-renewable resource, historic buildings, once demolished, cannot be replicated. Council’s first heritage study from the 1980s identified Ku-ring-gai’s collection of heritage items as nationally significant or outstanding in the Australian context for its architectural quality.

These listed places have established local heritage value to the community, since their early National Trust classification through to statutory heritage listing on Council’s local plan. As listed free-standing houses in a garden setting, these houses will only become increasingly rare as planning changes permit widespread multi-dwelling housing.

Listing and rezoning

The state government made no changes to the heritage listings, the NSW Heritage Council listing standards or development assessment process for listed places when parts of Ku-ring-gai were rezoned for higher density. The state government excluded heritage items from the rezoning changes and provided a guideline for heritage development that referred to the development process outlined below.

Heritage listing is based on heritage significance, using the NSW Heritage Council criteria set by the state government. Heritage items are listed for their individual qualities, for instance, as an example of architecture or a period. The NSW Heritage Council sets seven criteria for local heritage significance, such as aesthetic, historic or representative value. These listing criteria are separate to amenity or development matters that are considered through other planning controls and applications.

The heritage item context or setting beyond the listed boundary, based on development of the neighbouring property, is not one of the Heritage Council criteria for listing. Listing decisions are limited to the listed land boundary – the property boundary in most cases.

Heritage item context and setting

Neighbouring development is considered in the planning controls and development assessment process, rather than the heritage listing.

For the planning controls, Council’s preferred scenario alternative to TOD contains measures to protect the setting of heritage items and appropriately integrate heritage items into new development. The development details are resolved through the separate development assessment process when the owner lodges a development application (DA) for a specific proposal.

Heritage listing provides extra protection and incentives at the development stage. When a DA is lodged for land adjoining a heritage item, the development is assessed for impacts on the heritage item, referred to as ‘development in the vicinity of a heritage item’. This is set out by Council’s heritage objectives in the local environmental plan (LEP) and specific controls in its development control plan (DCP).

Heritage items also have conservation incentives for more flexible adaptive re-use. These allow sympathetic adaptation of the listed building to otherwise prohibited uses.

Heritage houses and density

Major precinct change or high density development does not require removal of heritage, but instead requires consideration of heritage items and conservation areas as part of the site planning and development. Both the planning and the development process seek to re-use and integrate the history and heritage of the area into new development in a way that retains the significant setting, views and fabric of the listed place.

Sydney has many examples of heritage listed houses where the listing and historic house are retained with high-density development. Some examples are pictured below from different parts of Sydney and periods of new development from the 1980s through to recent years. The more recent pictured redevelopments that included the heritage site also restored the historic building – some as part of a conversion to a non-residential use such as a community facility.

The pictured examples show a variety of apartment developments of differing scale, type and relationship to retained heritage buildings within or adjoining the development site. These developments may have been approved by the state government, a planning panel, the council or court under local or state planning controls.

These developments respond to the planning framework and individual building and site circumstances at the time they were approved and do not predict development in another location or a different planning framework. The pictured examples are not a recommendation or endorsement by Ku-ring-gai Council. Please refer to the Ku-ring-gai LEP and DCP for Council’s current development controls.

Council is preparing more detailed development guidelines for high density development around heritage houses. These will be included in the development control plan (DCP) to support Council’s recently adopted plans.