Heritage and Character House Renovations

Many Brisbane suburbs are dominated by a high number of Heritage or Character dwelling homes.

While these homes are a visual representation of our history, there comes a time when homeowners require maintenance or extensions to preserve the character features of the dwelling or extend the dwelling to accommodate a growing family.

Heritage and Character homes are bound by strict regulations that control demolition and construction works.

It’s important to understand these rules before beginning the design process for extensions or renovations.

We’re experienced in guiding this process and will work closely with both homeowners and architects to produce drawings that can be presented to Council and demonstrated to comply with the intended outcomes of the Council’s City Plan.

If you’re renovating or extending a Character or Heritage home, contact our team today for a free initial consultation to discuss your ideas and gain confidence in your project.

While it might be understandable to assume the two are the same, there is a clear distinction between these terms.

In Australia all levels of government maintain statutory registers and lists of heritage places.

In response to community outcry, Brisbane City Council introduced heritage listings as legislation in the 1987 Town Plan. The aim of the heritage listing was to protect several buildings in the CBD and inner city suburbs from demolition and neglect.

Local heritage places are identified continually through various Council planning processes, surveys and research. The local heritage list enables members of the public, including property owners, to nominate places for inclusion in the heritage overlay.

The local heritage overlay enables City Plan to regulate appropriate development on sites that are listed as being significant, or sites that adjoin significant sites, ensuring that the cultural heritage significance or indigenous cultural values of a place are not compromised.

The state heritage register is a list of places that have cultural heritage significance to the people of queensland.

A state heritage place is significant due to its contribution to the understanding of the wider pattern and evolution of Queensland's history and heritage.

Dreaming of buying a heritage dwelling and extending it to accommodate your family?

Before diving in, you need to understand what rules the Council has in place that may put a speed bump in the road to reality.

While Heritage requirements vary from Council to Council, and site to site, some Councils, such as Brisbane, offer free Architectural advice for anyone who owns a Heritage listed building.

The Council's Heritage Architects can help identify any issues you will encounter with your proposed renovations and assist to develop workable solutions with you and your team.

A simple conversation with one of our Town Planners will assist in understanding your properties Heritage listing and identifying the key elements which require particular attention when proceeding to the design stage.

If required, our planning team can provide recommendations for heritage specialist architects so you can proceed with confidence.

Our team can further assist with seeking Heritage exemption certificates.

Areas where streets are dominated by ‘Queenslander’ style homes, such as Ascot, Chelmer, and Paddington are among the most charming places in Brisbane City and speak to the city's historic past.

These dwellings, known most commonly as ‘Character Homes’ are generally protected from demolition, and renovation works are guided by both demolition and renovation controls to protect the character value of the property and streetscape.

Character controls are less stringent than Heritage controls, but must still be considered before commencing design work for your dwelling extensions.

If you’d like to know more about the character controls that are applicable to your site, give us a call and we’ll discuss your site specific requirements.

Where required, our planning team can provide recommendations for character specialist architects so you can proceed with confidence.

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