Heritage Planning Canberra

Any building development in the ACT, including extensions and secondary dwellings, must consider potential heritage impacts.

The Heritage Act aims to protect and preserve the rich natural and cultural heritage of the ACT. It encompasses both Aboriginal and European cultural significance, and works to identify and protect sites, objects, buildings and precincts of cultural importance for future generations.

Integrated with land planning and development, The Heritage Council establish and enforce guidelines and directions specific to certain heritage-listed areas and buildings.

The Heritage Act 2004 and the Planning and Development Act 2007 are used in conjunction when making decisions during the development assessment process.

Heritage Precincts Canberra, ACT

Below is a summary of the larger heritage precincts across the ACT. Heritage listings may be used for a single building, community, housing precincts (as outlined below) and undeveloped land areas.

As with any planning task, it’s important to be thorough in your research for planning application. The heritage register can be searched by building and suburb online for further investigation.

*Note: The first example in the table includes the full wording of the Heritage Act, which is simplified throughout the table for easier reading. The full wording and conditions for each precinct can be found using the link for each precinct provided.

Registered Heritage Precincts	Suburbs Impacted	Maps and links	Site Coverage and conditions summary:
Blandfordia 4 Precinct	FORREST	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/ pdf_file/0009/148374/B4_Guidelines.pdf	2.1c Site coverage of built development (including the area of any house, garage, carport, outbuilding or other roofed area but excluding driveways and unroofed paved areas) on a residential block shall not exceed 30% of the area of the block. 2.1d Not less than 40% of the area of a residential block shall be retained as planting area. Planting area means an area of land within a block that is not covered by buildings, vehicle parking and manoeuvring areas or any other form of impermeable surface and that is available for landscape planting.
Blandfordia 5 Housing Precinct	Section 23 Blocks 7-12 and adjacent road easements as identified as part of H45 FORREST Sections 2 - 8,10 –13 (Blocks all) and adjacent road easements as identified as part of H45 GRIFFITH	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/148355/403.pdf	2.1d Site coverage of built development on a residential block or commercial block with an area less than or equal to 1600m2 shall not exceed 27.5%. 2.1e Site coverage of built development on a residential block with an area greater than 1600m2 shall not exceed 25%. 2.1f Not less than 40% of the area of a residential block shall be retained as planting area.
Corroboree Park Housing Precinct	Section 2 Blocks 1-10, Section 3 Blocks 1-8, Section 4 Blocks 1-16, Section 5 Blocks 1- 7, Section 6 Blocks 1-9, 19, 25, Sections 7-12, Section 13 Blocks 6-14, 17-18, Section 79 Blocks all and adjacent road reservations as identified as part of H25. AINSLIE	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/148276/392.pdf	2.1d Site coverage of built development on a residential block with an area less than or equal to 850m2 shall not exceed 30%. 2.1e Site coverage of built development on a residential block with an area greater than 850m2 shall not exceed 27.5%. 2.1f Not less than 40% of the area of a residential block shall be retained as planting area.
Wakefield Gardens Housing Precinct	Sections 21-23, 27 – 30, 33,34,39, 44 – 47(Blocks all) and adjacent road easements as identified as part of H46 AINSLIE	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/148264/11.pdf	2.1d Site coverage of built development on a residential block with an area less than or equal to 850m2 shall not exceed 30%. 2.1e Site coverage of built development on a residential block with an area greater than 850m2 but less than or equal to 1600 m2 shall not exceed 27.5%. 2.1f Site coverage of built development on a residential block with an area greater than 1600 m2 shall not exceed 25%.
Alt Crescent Housing Precinct	Section 14 Blocks 1,4,5,6,7,8 and 11, Section 17 Block 1 and adjacent road reservations as identified as part of H27 AINSLIE	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/148274/386.pdf	2.1d Site coverage of built development shall not exceed 27.5%. 2.1e Not less than 40% of the area of a residential block shall be retained as planting area.
Barton Housing Precinct	Section 21 Block 1, Section 24 Blocks 1,2, 6 – 21, Section 25 Blocks 1- 10, Section 26 Blocks 1-20, 23-25, Section 26 Blocks 1-14 and adjacent road reservations as identified as part of H12. BARTON	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/148289/363.pdf	2.1d Site coverage of built development shall not exceed 27.5%. 2.1e Not less than 40% of the area of a residential block shall be retained as planting area.
Braddon Housing Precinct	Section 38 Blocks 1- 48, Section 42 Block 1, Section 43 Block 1 Adjacent road reservations bounded by Donaldson, Elimatta, Batman and Currong Streets. BRADDON	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/148294/391.pdf	2.1d Site coverage of built development on a residential block shall with an area less than or equal to 850 m2 shall not exceed 30%. 2.1e Site coverage of built development on a residential block with an area greater than 850 m2 shall not exceed 27.5%.
Hall Village Heritage Precinct	Section 1 -11, 15-20, 22-24 Division of HALL Blocks 306, 307, 310, 312, 314 District of HALL Blocks 382, 583, 584 (part), 586, 597, 598, 630 (part) District of GUNGAHLIN	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/148596/461.pdf	* Additions shall be made only to the side and rear of original buildings. * Additions to the side of buildings shall be set at least 1.8m toward the rear of the block from the nearest front corner of the original building. * For blocks having two street frontages, additions to one side elevation may occur with a reduced setback providing the form of the original building remains the dominant built form in the streetscape and the addition does not extend forward of the building line. Alterations and additions to original buildings/structures which are visible to the street or adjacent public domain shall match the original details. Materials and finishes at locations not visible to the adjacent public domain should complement the original.
Kingston /Griffith Housing Precinct	Section 22 Blocks all and adjacent road easements as identified as part of H44 GRIFFITH Sections 15, 16, 17 (Blocks all) and adjacent road easements as identified as part of H44 KINGSTON	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/148425/467.pdf	2.1d Site coverage of built development with an area less than or equal to 850m2 shall not exceed 30%. 2.1e Site coverage of built development with an area greater than 850m2 shall not exceed 27.5%. 2.1f Not less than 40% of the area of a residential block shall be retained as planting area.
Tocumwal Housing Precinct	Sections 33-37, Sections 54-56, 59, (Blocks All) Section 60 Blocks 1, 8-13, Section 89 (Blocks All) and adjacent road reserves of Macarthur Avenue, Miller Street, Tate Street and Macpherson Street as identified as part of H43 O'CONNOR	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/148448/436.pdf	New buildings, external alterations and additions may be permitted only where they will not significantly diminish the heritage values of the streetscape. Two storey buildings or additions may be permitted only where it can be demonstrated that, when visible from the public domain, they will not significantly diminish the heritage values of the streetscape.
Red Hill Precinct	Sections 1-3, 7 (Blocks All), Section 4 Blocks 1, 4, 7-8, 10-15, Section 5 Blocks 1-8, 10-14, 21 and adjacent road easements as identified as part of H52 RED HILL	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/148473/456.pdf	The maximum permissible gross floor area for development on any block shall be determined by the following formula: y = 350 + 15x/200 where y = the maximum permissible gross floor area for development on a block; and x = the area of the block in square metres.
Reid Housing Precinct	Sections 15-18, Sections 34 – 38, Section 39 Blocks 3 & 5, Section 40 Block 1 and adjacent road reservations bounded by Anzac Park, Limestone Avenue, Allambee Street, Currong Street, Coranderrk Street and Booroondara Street. REID	https://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/148474/462.pdf	2.1d Site coverage of built development shall not exceed 27.5%. 2.1e Not less than 40% of the area of a residential block shall be retained as planting area.

If you’re unsure about what’s legal to build on your block or heritage precinct, get in touch for a free planning assessment today.

Useful Links:

https://www.environment.act.gov.au/heritage/heritage_register/register-by-place