Developing and maintaining heritage places

The cultural significance of a place or area will be set out in a ‘Statement of Significance’ contained within the Place Record Form or the Heritage Assessment. Understanding why a place is significant will help inform design responses and highlight aspects of the place that need to be sensitively managed. 

Place records and heritage assessments for individual heritage places and heritage areas can be searched for in the Heritage Database.

The City has prepared local planning policies that provide detailed guidance on the development of both individually listed places and places located in heritage areas.

• Local Planning Policy 3.4 Development guidelines for residential Heritage Areas

• Local Planning Policy 3.5 Development guidelines for places included on the Heritage List

• Local Planning policy 3.6 Development guidelines for the Rokeby Road and Hay Street Heritage Area

When a place is listed on the heritage list, or located in a heritage area, development approval is generally required for most works. Minor works that do not require development approval are identified in Local Planning Policy 7.7 Development Approval Exemptions. In some cases - where development approval is required when it normally may not be - the city will waiver the planning application fee in accordance with Local Planning Policy 7.2 Refunding and Waiving Planning Fees.

Property owners are also advised to contact the City’s Planning Services to determine whether any proposed works require development approval.

For answers to some of the common queries about built heritage in the City of Subiaco, please see frequently asked questions. 

The City of Subiaco has Guidelines for preparing an archival record in the event that an archival record is required as a condition of planning approval.

There is a range of external resources which can also provide more information, including: 

• Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage

• Subiaco Museum

• Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites). 

Many owners are interested in researching the history of their property. The City provides information on readily accessible resources, how or where they can be accessed, the information that can be gleaned from each resource and tips on how to use the resources effectively.

The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage has developed a new online directory of businesses offering heritage services across Western Australia