Heritage conservation was one of the hot topics at this week’s Wollondilly Council meeting – after more than three years in the making, stage one of the Wollondilly Heritage Planning Proposal was given the thumbs up.
This will enable a change to the Local Environmental Plan to conserve the heritage significance of various sites throughout Wollondilly.
Community members helped contribute to the shire wide heritage study over the past three years to update existing heritage items and identify potential places and items for local heritage listing.
Following an additional review and consideration of submissions, 47 new heritage items and four new landscape conservation areas were included in the planning proposal, with 47 amendments to existing items including names, property descriptions and addresses.
Three of the proposed heritage items originally identified are no longer proceeding following the most recent review, including the University of Sydney Farms Camden campus, Mount Hercules causeway, and Razorback and Spaniards Hill landscape conservation area.
Council says the heritage listing of a house at Carlton Road in Thirlmere is proceeding following the provision of additional information.
However, council will seek clarification on the Burragorang Valley group landscape conservation area (pictured above) – that the proposed landscape conservation area does not apply to properties within the Yerranderie heritage conservation area.
Mayor Matt Gould thanked those who provided feedback during the robust consultation process.
“We have been working on the local heritage list for some time and I would like to acknowledge everyone who gave serious thought to this and took the time to put in a submission,’’ he said.
“We have considered and taken your feedback on board throughout the process.
“The local heritage list had not been significantly reviewed for 30 years,’’ he said.
“Heritage properties contribute to the character of our beautiful towns and villages and give us a sense of the past and our cultural identity.
“The heritage listing of a place provides formal recognition that the property has heritage significance and that the community wants it protected for the future.
“This doesn’t mean you can’t make a change or that the property has to be kept like a museum,’’ the Mayor said.
“Changes and additions can be made that respect and retain the significance of the heritage listing. Council also needs to be consistent with the approach we are taking to these local listings, for council properties as well as those owned by others.”
