Planning Permits: Heritage

Council employ a team of dedicated full-time Heritage Advisors to help guide the decision-making process. Council’s Advisors may be engaged via the Statutory Planning team and are able to provide guidance at pre-application and application stages in consultation with Planning Officers.

With reference to the relevant provisions of the Ballarat Planning Scheme and Heritage Victoria’s development guidelines (below) advice can be provided with regards to the following common projects:

• The extent of demolition works;
• New and replacement buildings in heritage precincts;
• Alterations and additions to existing heritage buildings and other assets;
• The finer grain detailing of new and replacement buildings and alterations and additions, including colours, materials and finishes;
• Restoration and repair works; and
• Vegetation and landscaping

Should you wish to speak with a Heritage Advisor please lodge either a request for written advice or a request for pre-application advice:

Lodge a request for written advice

Lodge a request for a pre-application meeting

If you are considering developing a heritage property, please first refer to the below guidelines prepared by Heritage Victoria. These guidelines should be read in conjunction with Clause 22.05 (Heritage conservation and heritage precincts) and Clause 43.01 (Heritage Overlay) of the Ballarat Planning Scheme

• The Heritage Overlay Guidelines - Alterations and Additions - Non significant places
• The Heritage Overlay Guidelines - Demolition
• The Heritage Overlay Guidelines - External painting
• The Heritage Overlay Guidelines - Fences
• The Heritage Overlay Guidelines - Landscaping and trees
• The Heritage Overlay Guidelines - New buildings
• The Heritage Overlay Guidelines - Signs
• The Heritage Overlay Guidelines - Subdivision

The City of Ballarat will soon publish here guidelines for the appropriate placement of solar panels on heritage buildings. These guidelines will seek to strike a balance between heritage conservation principles and the provision of energy efficient utilities in accordance with the Council adopted Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Guidelines (March 2023).

Should you have any queries in the interim, please call the Statutory Planning team via Customer Service 5320 5500.