Project objective

Council has appointed a heritage consultant to prepare the draft Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study to identify residential properties that are considered heritage-significant places.

The completion of the Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study is a key action set out in Council’s Heritage Action Plan 2020 – a ten-year program to identify and protect Bayside’s heritage for the benefit of current and future generations.

The draft Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study has not yet been finalised. Council’s consultant has prepared draft detailed Statements of Significances for individual properties and properties within precincts they recommend are included in the Heritage Overlay.

From 7 February to 30 April 2022, we will be consulting with property owners whose properties are being considered as part of the Study to inform the assessment of their property’s heritage significance. We will be sharing applicable draft Statement of Significances and seeking information from property owners to ensure that the draft Statement is a true representation of how their home visibly appears.

The engagement period will be open from 7 February until 30 April 2022. Community groups and individuals with an interest in Bayside heritage and the Study can also make a submission, supplying relevant and factual information regarding properties included in the Study.

Council’s heritage consultant will use the findings from the first phase of engagement to prepare the final version of the Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study, which is expected to be considered by Council at its July 2022 meeting.

A second phase of community engagement will form part of any proposed Planning Scheme Amendment process to include the Heritage Overlay on those properties found to be of local heritage significance within the Bayside Planning Scheme. Property owners, as well as interested residents and community groups will be able to make formal submissions as part of these processes.

Interested members of the community can subscribe to receive updates about the draft Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study. Please select the blue subscribe+ button at this top of this page.

Project impacts

The draft Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study follows three previous attempts (2007, 2017, 2018) by Council to conduct studies to identify mid-century modern properties for potential heritage protection and introduce heritage controls (interim and permanent). This includes the adoption of an untried voluntary approach to heritage protection which the Minister for Planning approved on an interim basis until further work had been done to identify further heritage significant places in Bayside.

Council has a responsibility for heritage preservation, consistent with the objective located at Section 4(1)(d) of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (‘the Act’) to “conserve and enhance those buildings, areas or other places which are of scientific, aesthetic, architectural or historical interest, or otherwise of special cultural value”.

Council resolved to commence this Study in 2020/21 at its 23 June 2020 meeting.

Protecting heritage while also ensuring the community is well informed on what the Study and Planning Scheme Amendment Process involves can be challenging. As engagement on the draft Study proceeds, Council must ensure that affected property owners are not being falsely informed of risks in relation to the application of the Heritage Overlay on their property.

Property owners will be provided with draft Statement of Significances for review in early February 2022 and provided the opportunity to provide any factual information to assist the assessment prepared by Council’s heritage consultant.

This factual information can include photos, planning or building plans which show that the residential building has been altered or is not ‘intact’. Examples of alterations to inform Council of include, but are not limited to:

• The exterior of the house has been recently renovated
• An addition to the house has been made (i.e garage, front porch)
• Windows, doors or other fixtures have been removed or replaced
• Any partial or full demolition that has occurred.

If the property owner is concerned that the house is no longer intact, photo evidence of any damage or disrepair is also encouraged to be provided to Council.

Information for the Study can be provided until 30 April 2022. Submissions by owners of property identified in the draft Study can be made here.

Property owners can continue undertaking research and collating information related to their property after the completion of the Study. This information would be encouraged to be submitted as an attachment to a submission during a Planning Scheme Amendment Public Exhibition Period – which would be the next step in the process.

Community members and groups with an interest in Bayside heritage and the Study can also supply relevant and factual information regarding properties included in the Study as part of the first stage of engagement. Submissions by community members and groups can be made here.

Any future phase(s) of engagement will align with any Planning Scheme Amendment processes to implement the Heritage Overlay on properties and precincts identified of local heritage significance.

Through any potential planning scheme amendment process, all affected property owners and any other interested parties will be provided an opportunity to make submissions to Council as to whether they agree or disagree with the proposed Heritage Overlay, including the opportunity to engage any expert evidence (i.e. a Heritage Consultant).

If submissions are received, Council would request that an Independent Planning Panel be appointed to hear evidence from both Council and any submitters, and for the Panel to consider the evidence and provide recommendations to Council as to how to best proceed with the amendment.

Based on the factual information provided to Council in Phase 1 engagement, each respective property owner can assist or oppose the findings on their property.

If the information provided has identified extensive alterations or disrepair and Council’s heritage consultant is of agreeance, the property may be removed from the draft Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study.

Community groups are also encouraged to provide any historic information they may have on the identified properties to assist the final assessment.

If the property owner is unable to provide any factual information that would suggest that their property is not of heritage significance, Council will not consider removing this property from the final version of the Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study.

Stakeholders and community

This stakeholder assessment is a generalised understanding of sections of the community that have a connection to the project or matter. This information is used to understand the types of tools and techniques that will achieve the strongest and most effective outcomes for engagement and communication.

• Impact: What level of change the stakeholder / community segment may experience as a result of the project / matter
• Interest: What level of interest has been expressed or is anticipated
• Influence: Reference to the IAP2 Spectrum

Selected tools and techniques

The tools and techniques selected for this project are informed by the project content, stakeholders and type of feedback sought.

Phase 1

• Letter to property owners including draft Statement of Significance and information brochure
• Email to project subscribers with information on the draft Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study assessment and engagement process
• Council website, Have Your Say website and e-newsletter, This Week in Bayside
• Let’s Talk Bayside magazine

Phase 2 (subject to a Council decisions)

• Letter to property owners whose properties are included in the adopted Study
• Notification in the Victorian Government Gazette
• Council website and e-newsletter, This Week in Bayside
• Email updates to project subscribers and key stakeholder groups

Phase 1

• Relevant property owners invited to provide information about their property via online submission form, email or post.
• Property owners invited to meet with Council officers to provide feedback and seek clarification on any questions or concerns they may have.
• Property owners can meet with Council’s appointed heritage consultant, as required (to be arranged through Council officers)
• Community groups or residents with a direct interest in the Study can provide relevant, factual information and/or request a meeting.
• If an Independent Planning Panel is appointed, all submitters to the Amendment can to speak at the Panel Hearing.

Phase 2 (subject to a Council Decision)

• Property owners invited to provide a submission to the Amendment
• Any person can make a submission to the Amendment
• Public notice of the Amendment will be advertised on Council’s website, e-newsletter, and the Victorian Government Gazette.

Decision-making process

It is expected that Council will consider the information provided by property owners and relevant stakeholders and present a final Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study at its meeting in July 2022.

Council has established a Delegated Committee consisting of all Councillors to hear from property owners with homes identified in the draft heritage study and other interested community members and groups over two nights on 15 and 16 June 2022.

• Wednesday 15 June 2022 commencing at 5.30pm to hear from any property owners affected by the draft Heritage Study.
• Thursday 16 June 2022 commencing at 5.30pm to hear from other individuals or groups/organisations wishing to speak in more general terms about heritage.

Council will then consider at its 19 July 2022 meeting whether to adopt the Study (with or without changes) and commence a Planning Scheme Amendment process to apply the Heritage Overlay to the recommended places.

Please register to receive project updates, including when the Post-War Modern Residential Heritage Study will be considered by Council. You can register by selecting the blue subscribe+ button at the top of this page.

Following this, Council may commence a Planning Scheme Amendment Process and inform affected property owners and interested community members of the public exhibition period which would be likely to commence in late 2022.

More information

Rachael Hudson

Senior Strategic Planner

rhudson@bayside.vic.gov.au

03 9599 4638