More than 1000 Greater Shepparton properties will be affected by an updated council planning schemes that implements heritage controls.
At its recent meeting, the council adopted an amendment to its planning scheme that endorses recommendations from the Greater Shepparton Heritage Study Stage II.
The study consolidates and updates the recommendations of three heritage studies prepared from 2004-2017 into one document.
The new amendment affects 1089 properties, including 619 properties of ‘individual’ heritage significance and 12 heritage precincts across the municipality.It also applies permanent controls to 178 places of ‘individual’ heritage significance and five heritage precincts in Dookie and Murchison where interim controls were initially applied by the Planning Minister in mid-2018.
The updated scheme includes changes to its local heritage policies to ensure its controls are in place for future planning permit applications.
Mayor Seema Abdullah said the council provided a free heritage advisory service to land owners included in the heritage overlay.
“Land owners can receive expert conservation advice before they undertake any works to their properties,” she said.
“These properties will also be eligible to apply for a grant under council’s Heritage Grants Program, the only such heritage grant program operated independently by a local council in Victoria, which seeks to assist land owners in funding conservation works to properties in the Heritage Overlay.
“Council is committed to conserving our places of local heritage significance and the adoption of Amendment C205 reflects this commitment.
“The amendment will help conserve these amazing places, which are a record of the development of our municipality and the many generations of people who have located here post-contact.”
For more information, phone the Building and Planning Department on 5832 9730 or via email at council@shepparton.vic.gov.au or visit the Greater Shepparton Council website.